Chicago Bulls – where am I wrong

Long suffering Bulls fan here, I was just having a back-and-forth with a few NBA friends and it sunk in how badly the Bulls are positioned for the next few years::

For this offseason the big decision and move is around Lauri, while a sign-and-trade feels like a sell-low I would also think he is in for a decent pay-raise to stick around (SOMEONE will likely offer a halfway decent price). So the “most likely lineup looks something like this:
C-Vucevic
PF-Lauri
SF- Williams
SG-Lavine
PG-White (coming off injury)
Off bench: Young, Theis, Satoransky

Offensively, feels like a team who could be good, defensively…yikes.
So while there remains the draft, trades and free agency, the teams in the East that feel “clearly” better than the Bulls:
76ers, Nets, Bucks, Heat, Pacers, Hawks
Those feel like teams 100% better than us…
Then we look to Knicks, Celtics, Hornets
Id guess most will say they are better than Bulls
Raptors had a year from hell and I think they bounce back and are better on paper. Wizards really came together in the second half of last season and even after a terrible start someone still finished ahead of the Bulls.

Pistons should not be better, Magic will have more exciting pieces to build around but won’t be better, Cavs suck (but have a few pieces and moves to make(,

Feels like there are only three teams worse than us, maybe with one or two others that are debatable and that best case scenario would be something like 7th seed and worst case is out of the playoffs (likely with a pick in the teens). Following 2021-2022 the Bulls will need pay Lavine a significant upgrade, there will be cap space (Young, Satoransky, Aminu, Felicio fall off) so it looks like Bulls may have space for a max guy that year – but to what end? Not sure who will be available and who would want to come play next to Lavine? Vucevic is then up next anad the Bulls will have to pay him max money when he is 33 years old.

So the options that I can see for improvement:
1 – Cap space following 21-22 season
2 – Trade picks + expiring deals for someone during the 21-22 season
3 – Internal development from Williams and some hope for more from White

While I have my hopes for Williams, we will see – his total lack of usage feels like he will be stunted. I personally dont know who would want to come to Chicago to play with Lavine (I think he is the guy on a open gym floor who. is miserable to play with because he shoots a million times a game and even when you win – when he is hot – it sucks to play with) I also will hold my breath about his significant jump in shooting percentages this year, his efficiency jumped considerably and I am dubious (we will see),

So, fellow Bulls or NBA fans, talk me off the ledge, how are the Bulls not destined to be fighting to get as high as #7 with a stronger bet to fall just outside of the playoffs for the next multiple years. Where is my hope? How do we rise beyond my prediction of #7 (or lower)?