Next season still really all that matters

So much for the idea that the Bulls rounded some corner or turned some point on their recent successful road trip.

A 90-82 defeat to the Clippers back home in the United Center indicated otherwise Tuesday night.

"We just didn't have that extra gear," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We weren't sharp. No excuses."

A few more performances like this and Bulls management won't have to worry about adjusting the strategy that this season is more about next season.

The Bulls had just won an unprecedented five straight games on the road against winning teams. Instead of coming home and stretching the winning streak to six, the perpetually inept Clippers outplayed the Bulls for the second time in two weeks.

No wonder a couple of days ago Del Negro bristled at the notion the Bulls had gotten over some hump during the trip.

Sensitive to even the suggestion he snapped, "What hump?"

Well, you know, the hump beyond which a coach can trust that his team will play well over an extended period of time.

"You never get over the hump," Del Negro insisted. "You have to keep grinding every day."

Instead the Bulls let the Clippers grind them into particles. Maybe the coach knew something the rest of us preferred to ignore.

The loss was enough to make anybody dismiss the temptation to start believing the Bulls actually could make something of this season, like climbing as high as fifth in the NBA East playoff order.

After that, none of the anticipated top four - Cleveland, Orlando, Boston and Atlanta - would be without vulnerabilities in a postseason series.

The Bulls might be - they could be - er, no, not likely.

All season this season has been about next season for anybody in the NBA that isn't a serious title contender.

The Bulls' goal has been to become respectable enough for potential free agents such as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and, dare we say, LeBron James to notice them.

Maybe the Bulls arrived on the road trip? The only place they arrived was back home. You'll know that they have arrived around that corner and past that turning point when management indicates that now is more important than later.

Tuesday night was a good example of why that isn't about to happen, and shouldn't.

Consequently the coming months remain an exercise in positioning for the summer free-agent season. The Bulls essentially are trying to apply cosmetics on themselves so a difference-maker will want to come here.

You see, the future still depends more on players who aren't here yet than players who already are.

So much confidence was gained on the road trip, but all guard Kirk Hinrich could say about that was, "I hope so," when asked even before the loss to the Clippers whether that confidence felt permanent as opposed to temporary.

Anyway, the schedule the rest of February appears favorable for the Bulls to resume the run they started on the road trip, but losing to the Clippers at home means nothing will come easy.

"We're not a team right now that can take anybody lightly," Del Negro said.

Nor can management can take the future lightly.

The next few weeks approaching the trading deadline still have to be more about pursuing salary-cap space to sign a summer love than pursuing help for the stretch run.

mimrem@dailyherald.com