<P> On October 17, 2017, a fight broke out in practice between Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotić, who suffered a concussion and two broken bones in his face . Portis was suspended eight games for his role in the altercation, and Mirotić missed 23 games to start the regular season . On February 1, 2018, the Bulls traded Mirotić and a second - round draft pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for a first - round draft pick and Ömer Aşık, Tony Allen, and Jameer Nelson . Bulls ended up finishing the season with 27--55 record . On June 21, 2018, Bulls selected Wendell Carter with the seventh overall pick, and with 22nd overall pick via trade with New Orleans Pelicans selected Chandler Hutchison . </P> <P> The Bulls' main division rivals have been the Detroit Pistons ever since the Jordan - led Bulls met the "Bad Boy" Pistons in the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals . The two teams met in the playoffs four consecutive years, with the Pistons winning each time until 1991 . The Eastern Conference Finals in 1991 ended with a four - game sweep of the Pistons, who walked off the floor with time still on the game clock . The rivalry was renewed in the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals, in which former Detroit cornerstone Ben Wallace met his former team (the Pistons won in 6 games). The geographic proximity and membership in the Central Division further intensify the rivalry, which has been characterized by intense, physical play ever since the teams met in the late 1980s . Chicago fans have been known to have a disliking for Detroit professional teams, as it was in the same division as Chicago in all four major North American sports until recently when the Red Wings moved to the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference for the 2013--14 season . </P> <P> The Bulls and the Miami Heat rivalry began once the Heat became contenders during the 1990s, a decade dominated by the Bulls . They were eliminated 3 times by Chicago, who went on to win the title each time . The rivalry has come back due to the return of the Bulls to the playoffs in the post-Michael Jordan era and the emergence of Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose . The revived rivalry has been very physical, involving rough plays and hard fouls between players, most notably the actions of former Heat player James Posey . The Bulls and Heat met in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals, with the Heat winning in 5 games . On March 27, 2013, Chicago snapped Miami's 27 - game winning streak . The Bulls and Heat met later that year in the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals . Miami won the series 4--1 . Since LeBron James's departure from Miami, the Bulls - Heat rivalry has experienced a tough in comparison to the better part of the century as the Bulls chop the Heat's playoff hopes in the 2017 regular season . </P> <P> Another franchise that the Bulls have competed fiercely with is the New York Knicks . The two teams met in the playoffs in four consecutive years (1991--94) and again in 1996, with the teams' series twice (1992 and 1994) going the full seven games . Their first playoff confrontation, however, came in 1989 when both teams were called "teams on the rise" under Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, respectively (rivalry that started their freshman year in the 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game with Jordan hitting the deciding jumper of the final). That first confrontation would belong to Chicago with six games of the Eastern Semifinals . The Bulls won in the first three years (1991--93) before losing in 1994 but got revenge in 1996 . As with Detroit, the historic rivalry between the cities has led to animosity between the teams and occasionally their fans . </P>

When was the last time the bulls were in the finals