If you ask any Bulls player, they'll tell you how much they prefer to be in the NBA playoffs instead of the NBA lottery. Even if it's in the 8th seed against Boston, participating in playoff games is always more valuable than watching them from your couch. At least that's what the players reason.
In previous seasons, I would agree. Collectively, the Bulls were a younger (and hungrier) team that benefited from the playoff experience. Players learned the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between the regular and post-seasons: the intensity, the traditional half-court gameplay, the refs... And after each post-season elimination, the Bulls had a clear idea of how they needed to improve in the off-season. The NBA playoffs, if anything, exposes all the strengths and the weaknesses of a team.
This season, the core Bulls are a year older (seemingly less hungry) and the only player who might benefit from the playoff experience is rookie Joakim Noah. However, after attending Florida and winning consecutive NCAA championships, I doubt he'd learn much more. And unlike previous seasons, we don't need the playoffs to tell us where the Bulls need to improve. After 63 games, we all have a pretty good idea.
The greater benefit to the Bulls, and to Noah, would be a high draft pick in the NBA lottery. In an ideal world, the Bulls would do everything in their power to draft Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, assuming he enters. Whether trading up to grab Rose, lucking out with a top 3 pick, or acquiring a veteran point guard (slim pickings), the Bulls desperately need a pure guard to distribute the ball and defend against the taller PGs in the league.
One outstanding NBA Mock Draft site, currently has the Bulls pegged in at the #9 pick and taking Russel Westbrook from UCLA. The Bulls need to do better than that.
108 days and counting...