If the Chicago Bulls wanted to revamp their roster ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, there is a path toward achieving that.
The Chicago Bulls have been stuck in no-man's land for quite some time. It was more than a decade ago since Derrick Rose led the Bulls to an Eastern Conference Finals in 2011. Since 2000, the Bulls have only been to that lone Easter Conference Finals. For a Chicago team that was built by the likes of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, it's a bit sad to see such a once-dominant franchise lay dormant for so long.
Well, all of that is going to change. In this exercise, we are going to explore a hard reset for a Bulls team that feels like it's needed it for a few seasons now. The Bulls are currently 15-19 and out of the Eastern Conference playoffs but have a chance at the Play-In Tournament.
I will lay out a roadmap that will attempt to lay the groundwork for a future foundation upon which the Chicago Bulls can build future success. We are operating under the assumption that the current front office has had enough and they are looking to blow up the team and rebuild. I am going to do my best to keep the proposed trades as realistic as possible.
Where the Chicago Bulls currently stand
The draft compensation attached to any of the trades will be fair, but obviously not perfect, you can debate the protections and such. Only future Chicago Bulls draft picks will be considered for the exercise.
Current roster:
Point Guard: Coby White, Jevon Carter, Lonzo Ball
Shooting Guard: Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu
Small Forwad: DeMar DeRozan, Torrey Craig, Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips
Power Forward: Patrick Williams, Terry Taylor, Adama Sanogo
Center: Nikola Vucevic, Andre Drummond
Move 1: Chicago Bulls trade Alex Caruso
Big moves off the bat to start the rebuild. The Bulls acquire a 6-foot-8 playmaking 20-year-old in Dyson Daniels in addition to a 6-foot-8 modern, 23-year-old forward in Trey Murphy III. Maybe a second-round pick or two is included on Chicago's side, but this is a great haul for the Bulls and the Pelicans. Before you tell me that Dyson Daniels and Trey Murphy are untouchable, really think about if they are.
Out of the two right now, Murphy is the one who sees consistent minutes and would be missed the most. He averages 14.8 points, four rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while playing 27.0 minutes per contest. Why would the Pelicans be willing to move on from a 23-year-old who's having such a solid season? It's simple really, they are looking to be more competitive in the Western Conference.
The Pelicans have a logjam at their forward positions. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram need to play the majority of the minutes. Veterans Naji Marshall and Herbert Jones also soak up some of those minutes, as does newcomer, Jordan Hawkins. Torrey Craig would be a great veteran depth piece if something were to happen to any of them, which is why losing Murphy isn't truly awful.
Dyson Daniels has yet to truly make an impact 2 years into his career, as this season he's averaging 4.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while playing 22.4 minutes per game. It's tough to give time to a struggling young player when your team is trying to make playoff noise. Just ask the Boston Celtics and Aaron Nesmith. The Pelicans could use a big point guard to run the offense, hit open shots, and play strong defense which is why Alex Caruso becomes an invaluable player for this team. In theory, he is a player capable of playing 3 positions, but addresses the Pelican's biggest current need which is perimeter defense and guard depth.
So while it might seem silly initially to be giving up on young talent so soon, the Pelicans would actually be gaining +1.0 win shares, +0.56 offensive efficiency, and +1.46 defensive efficiency. This helps the now.
The Bulls, meanwhile, pluck two young, up-and-coming studs from the Pelicans, who, if given more minutes, could develop into star players.
Move 2: Chicago Bulls trade DeMar DeRozan
Victor Oladipo and Jock Landale are used in this trade mostly as salary fillers. The Houston Rockets are performing well under first-year head coach, Ime Udoka. It feels like this team can be pesky and could be a tough out if they make the playoffs. What this team does lack is a bonafide No. 1 scorer. Enter DeMar DeRozan. He would be the scoring alpha this team needs to truly be viewed as dangerous.
Adding another point of attack, perimeter-stopping guard in Jevon Carter is a great addition, along with rebound-eating big man, Andre Drummond. While it might be tough to part ways with Jalen Green so soon, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason still have the youth to keep this team exciting for years to come - they are not making the cupboard barren by making this trade.
On the other side, this trade works out very well for the Bulls. They acquire a young guard/wing in Jalen Green, who will have to prove that he can efficiently lead an offense on his own, but he will now have that opportunity here with the Bulls.
The Rockets signings of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks all but signaled that you are going to need to perform defensively if you want to earn minutes from Udoka. Jalen Green might not be ready for that, and neither is Cam Whitmore. Cam Whitmore is the more interesting trade piece here as he is coming off Summer League MVP honors, and recently fell in the NBA draft to the 20th pick. His raw explosion and potential three-level scoring are enticing enough to take a flyer on a kid who some thought could go 4th overall.
The Bulls say goodbye to DeRozan but welcome in two young and exciting players who could have what it takes to be future leaders on this team. DeMar DeRozan gives the Rockets a primary scorer and secondary ball handler. Jevon Carter gives the Rockets tough perimeter defending, along with perimeter scoring. Andre Drummond gives the Rockets a monster on the glass and someone who won't get bodied by some of the stronger centers in the NBA, looking at you Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis.
The Bulls receive a 21-year-old guard/wing in Jalen Green who could eventually be a primary scorer, similar to who DeRozan is now. The Bulls also receive a relative unknown in 19-year-old forward Cam Whitmore, whose athleticism and strength could earn him minutes right away in Chicago, playing for a rebuilding franchise.
Move 3: Chicago Bulls trade Zach LaVine
(**This trade cannot take place until Jan 15 due to recently signed contracts**)
This trade seems like a total win/win. The Los Angeles Lakers get their star and the Chicago Bulls get some young talent to build around. Max Christie is still somehow only 20 years old and provides your prototypical 3-and-D wing. Jalen Hood-Schifino is a 20-year-old combo guard who, in college, looked like he would eventually be able to run an offense and create for others. He projects as more of a passer than a knockdown three-point shooter, but it's the potential that the Bulls are really interested in here.
D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura are included in the deal mostly as salary fillers, but they can both provide some productive minutes off the bench and some veteran leadership on a newly, very young team.
The Lakers are happy to be getting an explosive scoring guard in LaVine and would be fine with Terry Taylor riding along for salary-matching purposes. Taylor has a similar size to Jae'sean Tate of the Houston Rockets, and if he could produce like Tate, this would be a great bonus. The talent scale weighs heavily in favor of the Lakers here, which is why offloading from two young players who aren't receiving rotation minutes makes sense.
The Bulls, on the other hand, should love the potential that is coming from this trade. A big combo guard in Hood-Schifino would fit in nicely with Coby White, and the two would be able to play alongside one another effortlessly. Max Christie fills the need for a perimeter-oriented wing who can lock down on defense and knock down threes on offense.
The draft compensation coming back to the Bulls probably wouldn't be incredible, as the Lakers don't have much future draft capital, and they also have been weary of throwing so much draft capital in trades since the Anthony Davis/New Orleans Pelicans trade. However, this is a great return for the Chicago Bulls and one that they would be happy to take.
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.
Final thoughts
Final Roster:
Point Guard: Coby White, D'Angelo Russell,Dyson Daniels, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Shooting Guard: Jalen Green, Max Christie, Victor Oladipo
Small Forward: Trey Murphy III, Dalen Terry, Cam Whitmore, Julian Phillips
Power Forward: Patrick Williams, Rui Hachimura, Dariq Whitehead
Center: Ben Simmons, Jock Landale, Noah Clowney
The Chicago Bulls would need to do some re-adjusting to their roster, as this exercise sees the final roster construction with 17 NBA players for 15 spots. They could trade players like Russell or Hachimura for picks or something to dwindle the roster down to 15. They could also waive two of Jock Landale, Ben Simmons, Victor Oladipo, or Julian Phillips, but that's for the current brass to decide.
Overall, this team takes on a new identity: hope. There is potential everywhere with this roster. While it might be a minor setback in terms of competitive basketball for right now, in 2-3 years, if the players continue to develop properly, this could be one of the more exciting young lineups in the NBA. There are a few relative unknowns, Whitmore, Whitehead, Clowney, and Hood-Schfino, that have shown over the course of their college careers, that they could be impactful basketball players.
Anyway, let me know what you think of this exercise. Am I out of my mind? Was I too off-base? Let's debate. Look out for my next article where I go in the opposite direction with this Chicago Bulls franchise and lay the roadmap for how they can tweak the roster right now to be real 2024 NBA championship contenders.