NBA Trade Rumors: In an attempt to add more depth to the rotation, the Chicago Bulls could target Charlotte Hornets wing Kelly Oubre Jr.
After their season sputtered out of control during the latter portion of the year, the Chicago Bulls are somewhat of an afterthought heading into the 2022-23 NBA season. Though, it’s somewhat strange considering it all.
When the Bulls were healthy last season, they were sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. They finally began to tumble down the standings only when injuries began to arise for the team. Chicago lost Lonzo Ball for the majority of the second half of the season and Zach LaVine missed time during the second half of the season too.
The Bulls limped into the playoffs and lost in uneventful fashion against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. Though, the hope is that with a full bill of health, the Bulls can bounce back as they did during the start of last season.
If Ball is healthy to start the season, there’s no question the Bulls should be considered amongst the dark horse contenders in the Eastern Conference. And if they can have another hot start to the season this year, there’s a chance this team looks to add depth to the roster at the NBA Trade Deadline ahead of the push toward the playoffs.
If so, there’s one player that would make sense for the team. According to a recent report, the Bulls are a team that could end up targeting Kelly Oubre Jr., if the Charlotte Hornets shop him via the trade market.
Oubre is an expiring contract his year and if the Hornets get off to a slow start and it is clear they won’t be in the running for a playoff spot in the East, it wouldn’t be all that surprising for the team to shop some of their veterans – including Oubre.
In that scenario, it would make sense for the Bulls to pursue. Oubre would give the Bulls another wing they could rely on and another player that could help them in an attempt to use more versatile lineups.
The Bulls are one of those talented teams in the East that you can’t quite project at the moment. Though, they’re also a team that you can’t quite count out. It will be difficult for them to replicate some of their early-season success from last year, but the talent is in place to certainly make some noise in the East.
And perhaps making a move or two between now and the trade deadline would help reinforce that idea.