Move 4: Chicago Bulls trade Nikola Vucevic & Lonzo Ball
We have come up on our last move for the exercise and no surprise, the final two veterans remaining after the three previous moves are now on their respective way out. In another multi-player trade, the Bulls continue to take on salary filler in the form of Ben Simmons, but add two intriguing rookies taken this past draft in the 21st overall pick, Noah Clowney, and 22nd overall pick, Dariq Whitehead.
The Nets would be more than happy to throw in a second-round pick or two, or maybe even a lightly protected first to finally get rid of Ben Simmons. The team is slightly underperforming this season, at 15-18, sitting in a play-in position for the postseason. They might want to invest in the center position where Nic Claxton is the only reliable player on the roster. The Nets could use Vucevic's inside-out scoring, as well as his size. Claxton is not the biggest nor strongest center, so adding a 6-foot-10, 260lbs center who rebounds well and gets good positioning would help. If Lonzo Ball eventually comes back and is healthy, this would be a huge addition for the Nets, however, it's tough to see that happening any time soon, unfortunately.
The Bulls continue to stock up on young talent with their final move of the exercise. Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead are two relative unknowns, but both of their pre-draft analysis stated that they both have the potential to become difference-makers in the NBA. Clowney will need to bulk up and make his outside shot more consistent, but there is a clear path to him seeing court time. Whitehead is a bit different, the potential is through the roof, but injuries limited his exposure in college, so as long as he remains healthy and continues working on his craft, he may have one of the higher ceilings in regards to his draftmates.