Editing Chicago Bulls (section)

===1976–1984: Gilmore and Theus duo===
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[[File:Artis Gilmore 1977.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=0.79|Gilmore in 1977]]
Klein sold the Bulls to the Wirtz family, longtime owners of the [[Chicago Blackhawks]]. Indifferent to NBA basketball, the new ownership group infamously implemented a shoestring budget, putting little time and investment into improving the team.

[[Artis Gilmore]], acquired in the [[American Basketball Association|ABA]] dispersal draft in 1976, led a Bulls squad which included guard [[Reggie Theus]], forward [[David Greenwood]] and forward [[Orlando Woolridge]].

In 1979, the Bulls lost a coin flip for the right to select first in the NBA draft ([[Rod Thorn]], the Bulls' general manager, called "heads"). Had the Bulls won the toss, they would have selected [[Magic Johnson]]; instead, they selected David Greenwood with the second pick. The [[Los Angeles Lakers]] selected Johnson with the pick acquired from the [[New Orleans Jazz (NBA team)|New Orleans Jazz]], who traded the selection for [[Gail Goodrich]].

After Gilmore was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for center [[Dave Corzine]], the Bulls employed a high-powered offense centered on Theus, and which soon included guards [[Quintin Dailey]] and [[Ennis Whatley]]. However, with continued dismal results, the Bulls decided to change direction, trading Theus to the [[Kansas City Kings]] during the [[1983–84 NBA season|1983–84 season]]. Attendance began to dwindle, with the Wirtz family looking to sell to ownership groups interested in moving the team out of Chicago, before selling to local ownership.