Marc Stein reported a couple weeks ago that while Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic remain trade candidates, it appears increasingly likely that both players will open the 2024/25 season as Bulls.
Apparently it isn’t for lack of effort from the front office though. According to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas continues to actively explore deals for the former All-Stars, but obviously the team hasn’t found anything suitable to this point.
LaVine is owed about $138MM over the next three seasons (including a $49MM player option for 2026/27), while Vucevic will earn $41MM through 2026. That salary differential is one reason why Vucevic is viewed as more likely to be moved than LaVine, though Stein wrote that a trade for the 33-year-old big man might not come together until after the season begins.
Cowley’s article is mostly focused on the Bulls’ rotation, which will be difficult for head coach Billy Donovan to manage if the roster remains intact. As Cowley writes, the backcourt, in particular, could be problematic, with Josh Giddey, LaVine and Coby White — three offense-first guards — seemingly likely to start, with Patrick Williams and Vucevic rounding out the first five.
Ayo Dosunmu, Dalen Terry, Jevon Carter, and perhaps even Lonzo Ball will be among the guards off the bench, Cowley notes, further illustrating the rotational dilemma Donovan could face this fall.
The Bulls will be a surprise team this year if they stay intact as constructed now.
There is more breathing room on this team now without Demar and it will show. They have players at that right age and expiernce that going to make them look born again.
Zach is set to be comeback player of the year. Very few handle themselves in the box like Vuc. He ain’t going nowhere till the deadline.
I think you’re reaching there a little bit Juice.
I think Juice is on the juice!
Somewhat agree with Juice, but I think the far wiser move would be to move Coby White at the peak of his value, right now, as it will surely take a hit with Giddey, Lavine and Ball added to the roster. It could be the one instance that their FO maximizes the return on a trade rather than minimizes it. He could bring back a pick in a loaded draft.
Zach could again be a weapon when paired with PGs like Ball & Giddey, not White. Trading Zach is almost an impossible task, thus, it seems the only true path forward is to maximize his value, including firing Donovan if he cannot get Zach back. They’ll still lose and make the lottery most likely, a lose win win.
Attaching picks isn’t a option for Chicago. May have to attach White to get rid of LaVine.
This is a troll post right?
Very few handle themselves in the box like Vuc ?? What does this mean?? Are there stats to back it up?
Lavine at his best is nothing but low efficiency scoring with bad defense, who cares if he is comeback player of the year, its like being the smartest kid on the short bus.
Found Karnisovas’ burner.
Vucevic’s defense is a team killer + they lost Caruso.
They’re just a trash version of the Kings (all offense, no defense), who were a 9th seed last season. They would need every single IF to break right in order to make the playoffs.
IF LaVine regains his All-Star form
IF Giddey plays like a future star
IF Coby White / Patrick Williams has another level
IF Lonzo can contribute
IF Vucevic can remember how to shoot threes
IF they can avoid injuries
Then maybe they can win 42 games
We don’t wanna be a “Surprise Team” this year…we need to be in the lottery soo we don’t lose our pick to SA …
If there’s any year to root for the Bulls to fail miserably it’s this year…
What?
Flip
Them to the Warriors for once last go?
Flip dray and pics plus______?
Nah flip them to the Grizzlies for Jackson and Bane.
That’s a joke, right???
as much of a joke as saying flip Green and picks for them.
Uh, both these guys would need something of value attached for a trade to happen. It would likely take multiple first from Chicago to move lavine and maybe just 1 for Vuc. These guys are negative value because of their contracts. It would be more like Wiggins, looney, gp2, for lavine and two firsts.
I just don’t think Lavine makes the warriors better. All their success has come from being good-to-elite on defence, and he sets them back on that end.
That’s a pretty rosey outlook on things Juice. You must be a bulls fan and donning those rose colored glasses because nobody other than a bulls fan sees that bright of a season ahead for the team. Ownership/management have been unwilling to take an honest look at this roster for years and do what is necessary to move the organization forward in a progressive path. If ever a team needed to be gutted and rebuilt from scratch, it’s this one. Whatever they need to do to get rid of Zach, then bite the bullet and do it. Getting rid of D.D was a good first step and dealing thr defensive stalwart Caruso for the young guard Giddey were good first steps but many more need to be taken. Don’t get me wrong, D.D and Alex are very good players in the right roles on the right team. But they were never gonna be able to help the Bulls get over the humo. So stop trying to get over the hump and go around it. I think Washington is a team that faced a similar problem. Embrace some short term pain for some long term game.
I’m pretty sure he’s stoned.
Buzelis/Giddey are the future of Bulls right now. Young with high ceilings. Most of the roster is dead weight.
Should have never brought Vucevic back last year. They would have had the cap space. They are never going to get near what they gave up for him which was Wendall Carter and 2 1st. They will get multiple 2nds and a worse player.
That moron Cowley’s take on the Bulls line up would be a complete disaster. It’s already been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Williams isn’t, Can never, And shouldn’t ever play the 4. In any imaginary line up situation. Ball is done with the Bulls. One way or another. Giddey, White and Buzelis are the future. Buzelis isn’t a 4 either so once again they go into a season without a legitimate 4. Vujevic and Allen need someone to help on the boards and they don’t have that guy AGAIN. Not sure why the people who run this team are that stupid, Lame or Blind to see that. Their best bet is to trade either Vujevic or Ball and use the 18 million dollar trade exemption to do it so they don’t have to match salary. It should be Ball because they can still maybe get something for Vujevic at the deadline but nobody is going to want Ball unless it’s free. People who can’t see this need to get a grip on reality.
who’s Allen?
Sorry. Smith.
Lavine and two 2nds to Brooklyn for Ben Simmons
Vooch to GS for Payton, Waters, Cash, draft rights, future considerations and a one 2nd
Waive Payton, Waters, Simmons and Ball
Ben Simmons mother hates him. If she hates him why would anyone else want him? He’s a POS.
Meh, I’ve met a lot of horrible mothers. This is not a good take. All the evidence points to his upbringing being subpar. Of course his mother hates him, look at what it’s done to his self esteem.
And why would the Nets do that now that they have one year left of Simmons?
Bulls are long over due for a rebuild… They need to clean the books, get young, and build a team that fits what Donovon wants to do or better yet get a new coach…
New Coach. I like it.
Grandma always used to say, “if it sounds like a fart, smells like a fart, and tastes like a fart — its a fart.” Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be.
zach at 3 will be interesting to see