After finishing outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Bulls face some major decisions with the pricier players on their roster, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes in a new mailbag.
Mayberry believes Chicago may look to finally dismantle its roster following two trade deadlines and one offseason of extreme inactivity. Veteran center Nikola Vucevic is an unrestricted free agent this summer, while 33-year-old small forward DeMar DeRozan will become extension-eligible during the offseason.
There are a variety of approaches the Bulls could take in dealing with long-injured point guard Lonzo Ball, still not back after undergoing three major knee surgeries. Ball has two years and $41.8MM remaining on his deal with Chicago, and it already appears possible he will miss most or all of 2023/24.
The futures of Bulls role players Andre Drummond and Coby White are also addressed in the piece.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- After winding up with the fifth pick in this year’s draft, the rebuilding Pistons could opt to venture in a variety of directions, including a possible trade of the asset. James Edwards III of The Athletic unpacks some possible prospects Detroit could target if it retains the pick. Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscription required) examines some other potential draft options for the Pistons.
- Pistons general manager Troy Weaver is putting an optimistic spin on a disappointing result, Curtis writes in a separate piece (subscription required). Detroit entered this year’s draft lottery with the best chance (14%) of nabbing the top pick and a potential generational talent in projected top selection Victor Wembanyama this year. “I wasn’t going in expecting the No. 1 pick,” Weaver said. “I don’t believe in luck and chance. If we landed there, we would’ve been excited, but we’re prepared to move forward. It’s not (No. 1) or bust.” Detroit last had the No. 1 pick in 2021, which it used on point guard Cade Cunningham.
- For the Cavaliers to take a leap into meaningful playoff contention, power forward Evan Mobley needs to continue to develop, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
The Pistons should trade the 5th pick to the Knicks for their 1st rounder and the Pistons own future first rounder that they owe the Knicks.
This would give the Pistons freedom to make trades with future firsts. And Detroit is too young already and they don’t have a need for the fifth best rookie available.
Worst proposal I have heard post draft lottery for the Pistons to date.
All the other proposals are to draft another project to play along side their six current projects (plus two reclamation projects).
There is no way for that to work. If they draft someone good that fits in well the result will be that they trade out one of their current guys like the just did with Bey. Those are lateral moves and lateral from the bottom means you stay at the bottom.
The draft position doesn’t mean you’re limited to getting the 5th best talent. There’s a long list of HOF talents that were drafted outside the top 5 and ended up being draft steals. Curry, Klay, Jokic, Giannis, Stockton, Obe, etc. You just have to do a great job as a talent evaluator.
You name six players one of whom was drafted more than 30 years ago. There are more than fifty picks every season that happen after the first 4. So over 30 years you have 1200 players and you give me six names. I’d say the changes of anything good coming out of the five pick are extremely bad.
Additionally, those picks all required development to become great. The Pistons coaches are working to develop at least six of their current young players. This draft pick will not get the attention that he would need to become special.
“Ball has two years and $80MM remaining on his deal with Chicago”. This must be a typo as he has about $42m left on contract not $80m.
Nah first 2 years were free. Ball being smart not playing those years.
Bulls off season future. No draft picks. No Cap Space and an owner who said he would go over the Cap but that seems to be when hell freezes over as they’ve needed to fill in for major injuries the last 2 years and….Crickets. A 1 legged PG and an old an over rated SG who’s also got 1 1/2 legs every year that they pay 35 million a year. So off season look? Painful and hard to watch.
If I’m the 76ers, let Harden walk, call the Bulls about DeRozen.
How about let Harden walk and sign Kyrie???
DeRozan to the Knicks ….
I want the best for Mobley. Others have been pretty high on what his ceiling can be. Defensively he’s there but he needs to add a good 15-20 lbs of muscle. He also needs to dramatically take a leap on his ability to score 10-15 ft from basket. He has excellent footwork but he misses a lot of easy shots. Work on a mid range shot and maybe a baby hook. He has the height and athleticism to be a 25/10/5 guy. He’s a good passer too. The Knicks really exposed the lack of strength and ability to finish thru physical contact Mitchell and Hartenstein manned them up and bullied them near the paint.
Bulls best move would be to trade Lavine. Not that he’s not good for them, but he can get the most value. Sadly Ball ain’t coming back anytime soon. Lavine for VanVleet might actually work for both teams
If you’re trading your best player then effectively you’re giving up on the season and being competitive. If that’s the case then it makes zero sense to trade for an inferior player in VanVleet who’s on an expiring contract. In addition The salary difference for trade purposes is about $22 mil which means the Bulls would have to take back likely garbage players. Plus Toronto is likely going to be a middle of the road team meaning their picks probably aren’t going to be in the lottery. There are much better trade partners out there if they choose to move Lavine.
Chicago need to understand that even fully healthy there is no world in which their current core achieves anything together.
They were stupid not to trade Vuce before the deadline and not listen to offers on DeMar and Zach.
I’d go DeMare DeRozan for Harrison Barnes, Daivon Mitchell and the 38th pick in the draft.
I’d also try work a sign and trade Nikola Vucevic for Christian Wood, straight swap.
I’d probably keep Zach for atleast half the season, let him run the ship, put up ridiculous numbers and hope that’ll increase his trade value
In terms of filling out the roster, DRose will likely get waived, I’d bring him back for the bench and for the fans. I’d try go for Naz Reid in Fa, probably not the cheapest but another big that will space the floor, work hard, block shots and could work in tandem with Wood in big line ups. Then just fill out with random guys on the vets min.
Thus leaving you to look something like
Mitchell LaVine Barnes Pat Will Wood
DRose Caruso and Reid
I don’t understand this calling to trade Bulls players for the sake of trading them because NO ONE has yet to propose trades that make them better. Todd team won 46 games in a pretty good division with the Bucks, Celtics, Sixers, Cavs, Knicks and Heat and they did so without their best point guard , Ball, that gave them great ball distribution and elite level 3pt shooting (42% on 7 attempts per game). The ONLY reason to trade away DeRozen, Lavine or Vic is if you’re giving up all together and you’re getting Rule young players or multiple lottery picks in return.
As for your proposed trade, Barnes is a free agent this winter, Mitchell is a talented young player but thus far he hasn’t shown that he’s going to be a start level point guard yet and the 38th overall pick (2nd round pick) means nothing. This trade didn’t make any sense at all even if Ball’s a health concern again this season. They’d be better off trying to sign one this summer or try and move up in the draft and find one to hold the fort short term and developed into their future pg. Obviously you don’t want to waste Derozan’s remaining years but he’s still a better option than Barnes, for THIS team, not to mention he’sa free agent. If you trade Lavine you better be getting elite young talent plus lottery range picks. And even Vuc is under valued. On a team with two other ball dominant shooters all you need from him is his 17 point pg, 10+ rebounds and Tim protection and busy hands (1 block and steak per game last year). This team ranked 6th with 46 wins in a competitive league. Either try and stay healthy and add to the lineup or trade everyone for younger talent and a boat load of picks but you do NOT move these guys for mediocre talent like Barnes which will likely make them a 35 win team with mans back of the lottery at best.
You’ve got an old DeRozan, Vuce likely walking out the door or you overpay to bring him back, Lonzo who will be out for the year, Patty Williams who will be needing an extension and then LaVine. So what would you rather do just run it back and be worse?
Yes this trade may make them slightly worse but if you do nothing your guaranteed to be worse.
What I’m suggesting is you refresh the roster, trading DeRozan for Barnes, Mitchell and a pick replaces Ball for the year and gives opportunity to a really good prospect in Daivon. Barnes although a step down from DeRozan, is a solid 3 and D forward. He’s a glue guy in the locker room, he will allow LaVine to run the team instead of this power struggle between Zach and DeRozan. He’s a perfect fit with Patty, both guys bring 3 and D forwards that can switch between SF and PF. Whereas DeRozan has never really been a fit with Ball Zach and Vuce, as all guys like to have the ball in their hands and he doesn’t offer much without the ball in his hands.
As for my other suggestion you’ve completely ignored Vuce for Wood. Wood being younger and cheaper helps this team for its rebuild.
Mitchell 24 LaVine 28 Barnes 30 Williams 21 and Wood 27.
DeRozan is 33 and Vuce 32 both guys will be another year older by the time next season starts. Yes the offensive takes a step back but the defence takes a step forward aswell as getting younger. Who knows maybe Mitchell takes a big step forward in a larger role. Maybe Patty takes a big step forward in a contract year, younger side, better spacing and a clear leader.
DeRozan a bad fit with two non shooters in sabonis and fox
Hueter and Murray both shoot over 40%, Sabonis when he shoots them is efficient at 37%, and Fox improved last season going to 32% which is yes poor.
Monk hits threes tho and Lyles is a floor spacing big…
Just think he’d be a really good third star for them at a cheap price. Give them that experience and extra shot maker.
I think the kings should sell high on Murray, since they can afford to resign Barnes. Murray and huerter is a good start to a package for the next real star to demand a trade.
Pistons trade Bogdon, Stewart, 5th pick plus future draft Capital to Blazers for Nurkic, Little and the 3rd pick. Trade Nurkic somewhere else after