With multiple franchises in rebuilding mode, the future of Chicago sports is a bit murky. While the Cubs play tonight down 2 games-to-1 against the Dodgers in the NLCS, every other Chicago franchise failed to make the playoffs this season.
The NBA season begins tonight and the Bulls begin the season with the lowest of expectations — the team is predicted to finish last or close to last overall among NBA teams.
Many analysts have Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg on the coaching hot seat. Oddsmakers at My Top Sports Books put Hoiberg as the 5-to-4 favorite among Chicago coaches or managers to be fired first.
Hoiberg is followed by the Bears’ John Fox (5-to-3), Joel Quenneville (9-to-1), Rick Renteria (15-to-10). The Cubs’ Joe Maddon is the safest Chicago coach at 55-to-1.
The Cubs, currently in the playoffs, are the best bet for next Chicago world championship at 2-to-3 odds.
Next on that list is the Blackhawks, who most recently won the Stanley Cup two years ago in 2015 at 5-to-3. From there the odds drop precipitously — the White Sox are 49-to-1, the Bears are 149-to-1 and the Bulls are the city’s longest shot at 199-to-1, according to MyTopSportsBooks.
The race to the bottom for franchises is a popular strategy to earn better draft picks is an annual occurrence. The Bulls have a 9-to-5 odds are getting the No. 1 draft pick first among Chicago teams. Followed by the lowly Bears at 2-to-1, the White Sox at 3-to-1, the Blackhawks at 24-to-1 and the Cubs at 74-to-1.
