On a day he could have re-energized his frustrated fan base with a strong show of leadership, Karnišovas essentially ceded control with one big, “We’ll see what happens.”

Inaction could not last forever. The Chicago Bulls finally made a move at the trade deadline after three consecutive years of standing pat, taking one more step forward toward a future vision of a rebuild.

Over the weekend, the Sacramento Kings made a deal to send star point guard De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, stirring up the NBA by giving 21-year-old superstar Victor Wembanyama an elite point guard.