The Bulls‘ prolonged slump could affect offseason decisions if they can’t turn things around in time for the playoffs, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago was one of the league’s early-season surprises with new additions DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso meshing immediately and leading the team to the top of the Eastern Conference. But the Bulls have struggled amid a rash of injuries and are currently just one game away from the play-in tournament.
Cowley suggests an early playoff exit would make the front office more willing to part with one of its core pieces, such as center Nikola Vucevic, who will have an expiring $22MM contract next season. Cowley believes Chicago would have interest in Rudy Gobert if the Jazz make him available or Suns center Deandre Ayton, who is headed toward restricted free agency.
Another possibility is parting with free agent guard Zach LaVine, who will be a free agent this summer and is eligible to re-sign for five years at roughly $210MM. LaVine has experienced lingering pain in his left knee through much of the season, and Cowley thinks the Bulls might be open to a sign-and-trade if they decide to break up their core.
There’s more from Chicago:
- LaVine is determined to stay in the lineup as he nears the first playoff appearance of his eight-year career, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape. LaVine visited a knee specialist just before the All-Star break, and the Bulls are managing his playing time to help him remain productive. “I’m doing everything I can,” he said. “People know I play through injury. I hate missing basketball games. I’m a team-first guy. Even when I’m not 100%, I’m helping the team. Obviously, I have to watch out for myself and do due diligence on my rehab and how I feel. I just have to maintain it and I will.”
- It looks like DeRozan will miss just one game with the left adductor strain he suffered Tuesday. DeRozan sat out Thursday’s loss to the Pelicans, but he’s listed as probable for tonight’s contest in Cleveland, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
- Tristan Thompson received a $20K fine for “directing profane language toward a game official,” the league announced (via Twitter). Thompson was ejected after receiving two technical fouls in the closing seconds of Thursday’s game.
Injuries have really derailed the Bulls season. I would run it back next season with minor tweaks to provide better depth.
Same. No sense in hitting the panic button and making more forcible changes after a first year littered with injuries. Of course, if a truly good deal would present itself that’s a different story.
Cowley has been trying to get rid of Lavine for like 4 years now lol
Cowley is less of a reporter and more of a Twitter troll. Surprised HoopsRumors is amplifying his takes as if they were at all credible.
vuc is my guy but gobert maybe a better fit if he was available. i wouldnt get rid of zach though
Surprised to see Vujevic moving talk. I thought for sure they’d extend him as I figured he would want to stay. He seems happy here. But if Gobert really became available? The stuff about Lavine is the same thing I’ve been saying since September.
Three team crazy deal
Lakers: Zach LaVine, Mike Conley and J. Hernagomez.
Bulls: Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert
Jazz: Russell Westbrook, Nickola Vucevic, Patrick Williams and 2 firsts, 1 from LA and 1 from CHI
From there the Lakers then flip Conley and Hernagomez for Randle and Kemba.
Leaving the Lakers with
1. Kemba. Augustine
2. LaVine. Monk
3. LeBron. Ariza
4. Randle. Melo
5. Thompson (sign in FA). Howard
Bulls line up:
1. Ball. Ayo
2. DeRozan White
3. Caruso. Green
4. Davis. Sign someone in FA
5. Gobert. Kessler (draft)
Jazz
1. Russ. Clarkson
2. Mitchell. NAW. Butler
3. Gay. O’Neale
4. Bogi. Williams
5. Vuce. Azbui
Im bulls fan,but not lavine fan.and im gobert fan too,top 3 center for me.but this trade idea is very bad. Vooch,lavine,patwill,and 1st for gobert and useless ad?? Ah cmon..ad was great player but too injuried prone.i dont mind if it for mitchell and gobert,but leave patwill alone.add blazers pick for jazz.
I always find it amazing when you guys go through all this effort to post all these trades. You like to avoid the most important question. Why? Why would the Bulls trade LaVine?
They’re always the guys you would want to play Fantasy Basketball with. They suck, They are in love with the guys they love and they expect everyone else to also. He’s ether Davis’s agent, brother, mother or has a bet going with someone that Davis will come back to Chicago. Either way, If you see them on the street, Run like Hell. They escaped the halfway house. They’re easily identified in Fantasy. They’re the guys who offer you a trade for the same guy every other day for the same loser. Then you take them to the cleaners.
If bulls can keep him, than keep him.but if cant,than trade him.he is good offensive player but im not his fan.
Why in the name of God would the Bulls make that stupid trade? Why on Earth would you pair Gobert and Davis? If the Bulls want a 40 million dollar injury, I’d rather it was Lavine instead of Davis. He’s not worth 40 cents.
Yeah,i dont mind with gobert,i love him.but ad is useless.
Gobert > LaVine
AD > Vuce
Gobert is a 3 time DPOY, and 3 time all star.
AD is an nba champ, 8 time all star, 6 time all nab teams.
Bulls will get swept in the first round. AD wants to return home. You need to upgrade your interior defence.
In the east with two good defensive bigs you wouldn’t struggle nearly as much against the likes of Giannas and Embiid.
Look, I’d try and explain it to you, But I doubt you’ll get it. If the Bulls re sign Lavine, Because it’s for Bird money he doesn’t count against the cap. If the Bulls trade for another 40 million dollar clown, He counts fully and puts the Bulls into the Luxury Tax where Lavine doesn’t. I’m tired of hearing that stupid refrain that Davis is from Chicago. Who cares? I’ll tell you who doesn’t care, AK and Eversley. If they trade Lavine it will be for draft picks and a young player, Not a 4o million dollar loser who never plays. NBA champion? Really? Like he had a ton to do with it.
He was great that season they won.
Agree with gobert > lavine and ad > vooch. But ad always injuried.thats my point why i dont like this trade idea.rather have wood than ad for pf. But i love for gobert idea. Im big fan of gobert.top 3 center for me behind jokic and embiid
@unclemike. Hey bulls fan here. Dont understand the cap hit rules. Why would LaVine 40M not count a against the cap? Thanx
OK. He will obviously count against the cap. The point is, If he signs with the Bulls for his Max deal, it will be about 210 million dollars. However, He will only count 36 million against the cap next year and then it gets raised like 8% every year thereafter. So it’s a progressive deal where the cap will probably keep going up. If he just leaves and signs somewhere else, The most he can get is 156 million, So he’d be leaving like 50 million on the table. Again, The Bulls could sign him to a Max deal, then trade him, He gets his money, The Bulls get assets and IMO everybody wins. If you click on Sportrac and let the pictures scroll through ti you see Lavine, There’s actually a great article about how it would work. Hope that helps.
So hypothetically, Let’s say the Bulls don’t want to pay Lavine 210 million. I could see that actually. There’s no law that says the Bulls HAVE to offer him a Max deal. Now if he doesn’t take their offer, Zach and his agent will be begging the Bulls for a sign and trade because he won’t want to leave money on the table. He’s been whining he’s underpaid his whole carer. So say they move him. You have Caruso, Ball, Ayo, and Coby and Green can move back to 2 guard where he belongs. Coby is a 2 really anyway. Then, You have Vuj,Williams and DD for a Frontline. I still think Simonovic might be good, They stashed him in the G League all year. A First round pick who will probably be a big, And whatever UDFA guys they can find. They also have their Mid level Non Taxpayer exception and a 5 million dollar trade exception to add to the mix. Plus whatever they get for Lavine, I see good things for Billy and the boys without a 40 million dollar albatross.
$40m+/yr for Zach or Gobert seems like a bad investment. Gobert will just be another Deandre Jordan/Andre Drummond in a few years, and Zach Lavine is just Lou Williams with less offense. I hope and pray that we move Lavine in a sign and trade, this guy has been the focal point of every roster/team he’s been on and cannot win. That’s not suddenly going to change. Moving Coby or PW just to surround Lavine with “more talent” would be a horrible mistake. Lavine is not the future, never should’ve been. He’s def the type of player who gets all in his feelings tho so any deal would have to be worked out and agreed to in private because if word got out he’d probly be all salty and try to force his way out
Boy, that is such a bad take, clearly you don’t like ZLV, right?
El Don you are the prime example of ‘bad take’ but in this instance I agree with you, bad take on Lavine.