The Chicago Bulls continue to deal with the cruel reality that is preventing them from completely pivoting toward a complete rebuild.
If the Chicago Bulls had it their way, they'd be preparing for the start of the season in which they'd be able to focus on their rebuild. Whether that's embracing a full-blown tank job or focusing on developing their young players, the Bulls can't completely turn the page and start a rebuild because they still have one foot stuck in the past. That's because the team has been unable to trade Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball (who could be added to the group. considering he's expected to be healthy enough to play at some point this season).
And until the Bulls are able to trade the veterans on their roster, it's going to be difficult for the team to truly focus on what is next for the franchise. The "cruel" reality continues to be that Chicago is having a difficult time trading some of their aged veterans - specifically LaVine and Vucevic.
The difficulties surrounding the Bulls attempting to trade LaVine have been long reported. But the Bulls could also find difficulty in trading Vucevic considering he still has two guaranteed years remaining on his contract. The $21 million due for the 2025-26 NBA season could be a concern for teams when attempting to trade for him.
What lies ahead for the Chicago Bulls?
If I had to put my prediction hat on, I'd expect the Bulls to have to hold onto both LaVine and Vucevic until the NBA Trade Deadline. Unless the Bulls are willing to attach an asset to trade LaVine, which I can't see happening right now, Chicago is going to have difficulty in moving past him. The same could be said about Vucevic. However, the positive path toward trading Vucevic is that his contract is shorter and cheaper than LaVine's.
As we inch closer and closer to the trade deadline, Vucevic's going to appear as more and more of an appealing asset for teams. Even though he is past his prime as a player, Vucevic could be viewed differently as an expiring contract than he does at the moment with two years remaining on his deal - not to mention that it would also be a bit easier to absorb Vucevic for a team than LaVine from a basketball perspective.
One thing is becoming abundantly clear, though, and it's that the Bulls will almost certainly have to carry the burden of their past mistakes on their roster into the season before they can completely move forward into rebuilding mode.