Getty Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid
The Chicago Bulls did great at the NBA Draft Lottery. Instead of landing the No. 7 pick as projected, they wound up with No. 4. That pick puts the team in a position to select one of the top players in the draft.
However, it appears the team is open to trading out of that spot, and that could mean chasing a young, established superstar, which could mean also obtaining a later pick in the first round. One suggested trade involves Philadelphia 76ers star, Ben Simmons.
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Would the Bulls Really Have Interest in Simmons?
This trade suggestion is a pretty wild one. It involves shipping Zach Lavine, Thaddeus Young, and the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft to the 76ers for Simmons. The 76ers would be in a position to draft a point guard whose game better fits with Joel Embiid, and could be molded by new coach Doc Rivers.
That point guard alongside LaVine, Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Al Horford sounds like a pretty impressive starting five. As for the Bulls, they would have the ability to play Simmons in a point forward style along with Coby White, Otto Porter Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Wendell Carter Jr. That’s obviously a strong team that would improve defensively with the addition of Simmons, but in the long run, I’m not sure the Bulls get much closer to a championship.
Trading LaVine Isn’t a Horrible Idea, But it Has to Be the Right Deal
LaVine was great last season averaging 25 points per game, but that doesn’t necessarily make him untouchable. The bottom line is winning, and if the Bulls’ new brass doesn’t consider LaVine the kind of player they can build around, he could be made available to teams interesting in dealing for the high-scoring guard.
Trade speculation surrounding Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol is far more interesting, and quite frankly, more plausible than this deal for Simmons. Porter and Bol are both young and promising players. However, neither man has done enough to equate to LaVine’s current value. Because of this, the Bulls might be capable of parting ways with LaVine in exchange for Porter, Bol Bol, and Gary Harris.
That deal would leave the Bulls with a likely starting five of White, Harris, Porter Jr. , Markkanen, and Carter Jr with the player selected at No. 4 in position to start, depending on who they select. The bench could include Kris Dunn (if retained) Denzel Valentine, Chandler Hutchinson, Bol Bol, whichever player is displaced by the rookie, or the rookie, and Daniel Gafford. With Billy Donovan as coach, this could be a playoff team.
This is just speculation, but interesting to ponder as we move close to the draft in November.
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Bulls Urged to Pursue 76ers Superstar in Blockbuster Trade