NBA Exec Says Chicago Bulls Should Blow It Up

2021 was an important year for the Chicago Bulls. They impressed the NBA trade deadline and bought Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic in a surprise turn of events. While that didn’t immediately result in a playoff appearance, it laid the groundwork for even more big moves during the off-season.

The Bulls went all in to build around their All-Star duo of Zach LaVine and Vucevic. Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan were both acquired in sign-and-trade deals from the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs, respectively. Alex Caruso was signed up for free, giving the Bulls a huge upgrade in talent across the roster.

The final piece of the puzzle was their younger players, Coby White and Patrick Williams, progressing. For a while things looked good in Chicago. They nearly topped the Eastern Conference, but then injuries started piling up and they dropped in the standings.

The Bulls eventually became fodder for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 postseason, being knocked out in five games as they had too many injuries to overcome. Those injuries have not abated this season, putting Chicago in a difficult position.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan & Chicago Bulls Updates

Not good enough to really compete in the Eastern Conference, at least until Ball gets back into the lineup, if he can, and with no resources to make additions to the roster, a rebuild could be on the horizon. An NBA executive who spoke to NBA Analysis Network believes this is the way to go.

“I am not jealous of their situation at all. LaVine and Ball have knee issues that would worry me. DeRozan is not getting any younger. Vucevic plays on an expiring contract. … There isn’t really much room for them to make changes, and at this point time seems to be their enemy, not their friend. Even their young players have not really made any progress.”

One benefit of a bad season is that a team lands a top roster. We’ve seen many teams take advantage of that, with the Toronto Raptors being a recent example. They had the fourth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, losing Scottie Barnes Jr. selected, and were right back in the playoff mix.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan & Chicago Bulls Updates

Unfortunately, that’s not a luxury the Bulls have. Their first choice goes to the magic of the Vucevic trade. That’s just as important a reason the executive believes tearing things down and rebuilding them is the best course of action.

“The Bulls owe their selection to the first round for this year to the Magic. It’s hard for me to say that’s why it’s best to break it down, but they really need to start thinking about trading vets to get assets ASAP.

The long-term prospects of LaVine and Ball with their knee problems are certainly concerning. No one would blame Chicago for exploring some trades to see what kind of value they can get in a trade. There are some good assets on this roster in case owners want to cash in their chips.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan & Chicago Bulls Updates

Vucevic on an expiring deal should be an attractive trade piece and a big trade, such as for Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook and draft capital, could be made by combining Vucevic with DeRozan’s contract.

Williams hasn’t taken the step forward the Bulls had hoped for, likely undermining some of his value. But if veterans are moved, he could see a bigger role with the potential to make the third-year leap the organization hoped to see.