Exploring a three-step pipe dream plan that would help make a flawed Chicago Bulls roster into a contending one.
We are continuing the exercise of highlighting the Chicago Bulls and providing them with a blueprint to help them achieve their dreams. Whether they want to tank or compete, they seemingly can't figure out either roadmap.
The Bulls have been wanting to compete for years, cutting corners in player development and trading their young assets for veteran players. The out-of-nowhere Lonzo Ball injury surely has dampened several of the expectations over the past two years. Regardless, the Bulls need help if they want to continue to try to compete. They do not have the pieces to legitimately contend.
Finding the right 3-step plan for the Chicago Bulls
All of that is going to change. In this exercise, we are going to explore what it's going to take to get the Chicago Bulls out of the play-in tournament and into a playoff lock. They are currently 17-21 and seven games out of homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
I will lay out a roadmap that will attempt to lay the groundwork for an immediate turnaround, upon which the Chicago Bulls can be in contention for, at the very least, a playoff spot this season. We are operating under the assumption that the current front office has been encouraged by their more recent play and thinks they should make a couple of moves to go all in.
Step 1: Chicago Bulls trade Lonzo Ball
The Chicago Bulls could look to offload Lonzo Ball's contract seeing as though we will never really know when he will ever take the court again. The Bulls include young 22-year-old, Patrick Williams and a first-round pick in the trade to bring some sizzle to the trade for the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Blazers aren't competitive this season and I'm convinced Grant could be had at an exceptionally reasonable price. The Blazers don't have much use for a soon-to-be 30-year-old forward who's posting a 25.7 usage percentage. This team should be focusing on getting the most out of its young players, especially Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. These two are the future and the now. Grant's play doesn't help them either since he's not much of a playmaker.
The Blazers acquire Jerami Grant "lite" in Patrick Williams. They get a similar-sized, defensive-minded forward who connects on over 40% from three. The difference is Williams is a bit under eight years younger than Grant. The first-round pick in 2026 helps the Blazers with flexibility while stockpiling draft assets for the future.
This trade helps the Blazers, but it really helps the Bulls. Jerami Grant is essentially what Patrick Williams could become if he fully develops over the next couple of seasons. The Bulls don't have multiple seasons to wait, they need to strike now. Grant is the perfect, switchy, three-point shooting, defensive forward that makes this team a little more of a legitimate contender.
Step 2: Chicago Bulls trade DeMar DeRozan
In the first move, the Chicago Bulls got a switchy, long, 3-and-D forward in Jerami Grant. Their next trade should be focused on bringing in additional versatile, consistent players to help this team win. They achieve this with great success with the acquisition of Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith. Dennis Smith Jr. is a nice complementary defensive point guard.
The Bulls become incredibly switchable once this trade goes through. Their defense seems complete, but it's their offense that would really open up. Bridges would be an elite second option for this team, backing up LaVine.
At first, you might not think that the Brooklyn Nets would be interested in this trade. Look a little bit further, and it makes quite a bit of sense. The Nets aren't as competitive this season as they would have hoped. This trade gets them a young, 21-year-old forward in Dalen Terry, along with an expiring $28.6M contract in DeRozan.
This sets the Nets up nicely for the offseason. They could look to make a nice free-agent acquisition or continue acquiring young assets to build for the future. Either way, the Nets might not fight this trade as much as people think they would.
Step 3: Chicago Bulls trade Nikola Vucevic
The final move for the Chicago Bulls to turn this team into a true contender is to get a more defensive-minded center. In this trade, they bring in big man Daniel Gafford. Gafford is in the middle of a career year...for him. His numbers might be modest, but he's posting career highs in points per game, 10.5, rebounds per game, 7.6, and blocks per game, 2.1.
Delon Wright joins in on the trade mostly for salary-matching purposes. In theory, he does offer good size for a point-of-attack defender. His offense won't wow you, but his defense and size will be great for specific matchups.
The Wizards might as well trade everyone who has value who won't be on this team long-term. Gafford and Wright could easily be had for the right price. It might seem a bit contradicting, but the Wizards do give up two second-round picks in the trade. They do this because they are getting the best player in this trade in Vucevic, and a young, promising guard in Dosunmu.
Feel free to haggle on what the exact return should be for Dosunmu and "Vooch," but the final move to make the Bulls true contenders is complete. The Bulls can now focus on gelling and getting comfortable with one another on the court before a (hopeful) long playoff run.
Final thoughts on the Chicago Bulls
Final Roster:
Point Guard: Coby White, Jevon Carter, Dennis Smith Jr.
Shooting Guard: Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, Delon Wright
Small Forward: Mikal Bridges, Torrey Craig, Julian Phillips
Power Forward: Jerami Grant, Dorian Finney-Smith, Terry Taylor, Adama Sanogo
Center: Daniel Gafford, Andre Drummond
At first glance, this new roster has a ton of versatility. They have multiple players who can play multiple positions. Another immediate observation is this team can now play smothering defense, and they can play it across every lineup. They don't sacrifice much offensively, other than isolation scoring from DeRozan, but Bridges and Grant more than makeup for that.
Overall, this team screams intrigue. The top eight of this rotation becomes very scary come playoff time, when benches are shortened. A newly formed big three of LaVine, Bridges and Grant is instantly better than LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic.
Anyway, let me know what you think of this exercise. Am I out of my mind? Was I too off-base? Let's debate. Is this article more outrageous than my previous article, which outlines how the Bulls can blow up their roster and start to rebuild? Let me know!