The talk among those on the outside looking in has been less about the Bulls reaching the playoffs than the likelihood they'll package those picks and players currently on the roster for a stud along the lines of Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce, or get younger still by taking two first-rounders.

A deal gets tougher to make the worse the Bulls' own draft pick is. The current Bulls, of course, would like to drop in the draft order by earning the privilege of being stomped on by Detroit in the first round of the playoffs.