The 2000–01 NBA season was the Bulls' 35th season in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls continued to struggle losing 42 of their first 48 games at the All-Star break, as they finished 15–67, the worst record in the Central Division and the worst league record. Following the season, second-year star Elton Brand was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. (See 2000–01 Chicago Bulls season#Regular season)

The Bulls’ intentions going into the 2000-01 NBA season was to recruit a pair of the summer’s elite free agents—a group that included Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady and Eddie Jones—to be the core players in the re-building process. However, Duncan re-signed with San Antonio, Hill accommodated his wife’s desires to go to Orlando, and McGrady and Jones both opted to play near their home towns.

“It wasn't so much a rejection of Chicago,” Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf stated, “as it was other considerations that compelled these individuals to make the decisions that they made to play for the teams they chose to play with.”

Thus, the Bulls changed gears and focused on rebuilding through the draft and with youth. In the 2000 NBA Draft, the Bulls took some steps in that direction, selecting Marcus Fizer (4th overall), and acquiring Jamal Crawford (selected 8th overall by Cleveland and immediately traded to the Bulls). Other notable off-season acquisitions included the signing of free agents Ron Mercer (Aug. 2), and Brad Miller (Sept. 7).

...
Wikipedia