The Bulls Might be Heading Toward a Rebuild
What does it mean for Chi-Town, both now and in the future?
Two years after the Bulls acquired DeMar DeRozan, Bulls fans believed they were one step closer to becoming legitimate contenders — if they’re not already there. Now, recent rumors indicate the exact opposite: they might be one step closer to a rebuild…if they’re not already there.
The Current Situation
In the two years since pairing DeRozan with franchise cornerstone Zach LaVine, Chicago has gone 90–95 at the time of writing and has a first-round exit to show for it. The rumors of a blow-up first arose at halftime of the team’s game against the Timberwolves, where players directed their frustration at LaVine. Bulls reporter Joe Cowley tweeted that it was one of two confrontations — the other occurred after Chicago allowed a season-high 150 points to the Wolves.
With the Bulls sitting at 13–18 on the season and these rumors coming to light, fans are left to wonder if its best to rebuild again instead of going for a title in a tight Eastern Conference.
Zach LaVine’s Future
The biggest name to watch in this mess is LaVine. Bias aside, a package around Russell Westbrook is not going to cut it — even though Westbrook is thriving off the bench and the Bulls are in need of point guard depth with Lonzo Ball sidelined. The fact that LaVine went to UCLA won’t sweeten things, either.
Chicago, like other teams who moved stars for future assets, is going to expect a haul for their star player — likely one or more All-Star caliber players, young guys with potential, and a plethora of draft picks. There are several teams that can offer such a package, but it’s up to Michael Andrew Reinsdorf and Marc Eversley to make the call.
Other Tradable Assets
Aside from LaVine, other major names that could be on the trading block for Chicago include DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso — all high-impact players who could immediately help a contender with their play on both ends of the floor and veteran experience. Another incentive — at least in the cases of DeRozan and Vucevic — is the money. DeRozan is owed nearly $56 million over the next two seasons, and Vucevic is on an expiring $22 million deal (the last of his four-year contract) with no looming plans of an extension.
One other asset sought out by other teams is the Bulls’ ownership of Portland’s protected first-round pick. Acquired in a deal that sent Lauri Markkanen to the Cavs and Larry Nance Jr to the Blazers, Chicago will benefit even if Portland continues to win games. It is a lottery-protected first-rounder, meaning it will go to Chicago if it falls between the 15–30 range.
It may make sense for the Bulls to keep this pick for themselves, but if it comes down to it, attaching the pick in a deal could bring back valuable assets for the future.
What if Chicago Sticks it Out?
There’s a chance all of this smoke doesn’t lead to a fire after all. If that’s the case, the Bulls will need to figure something out quickly in order to compete in the East, whether it’s making smaller moves around LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevic or really riding this out and changing their mentality in the coming weeks.
Expect more headlines to come from Chi-Town, both good and bad. This mess will be solved one way or another.
