Getty Head coach Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls
In a December 31 Bleacher Report story, Dan Favale listed what he believes is every single NBA team’s regret over the past year. When he got to the Chicago Bulls, he says their biggest regret was “whiffing on the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline,” or more specifically, that they didn’t get a starting-caliber wing like Harrison Barnes when they had the chance.
“They surrendered picks and flexibility on multiple occasions to optimize their win-now window. Sitting tight when you’re 13 games over .500, with Harrison Barnes and Jerami Grant floating around the trade market because you consider the idea of Patrick Williams too valuable to deal is backwards thinking,” Favale said.
Favale continued further by saying that the Bulls’ struggles to start this season, along with Williams’ inconsistency, have only made their decision to pass on a trade look worse.
“This season has not vindicated Chicago’s inaction. Williams will show flashes of figuring it out, at both ends, but he isn’t a player you always feel. And the Bulls are no better positioned to rebuild, start over or immediately turn their bleak trajectory around because they kept him.”
Barnes, who won a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015, is averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 30 percent from three. The Kings are 19-15, which puts them fifth in the Western Conference standings, while the Bulls are 16-19, which puts them 10th in the Eastern Conference standings.
Analyst Comments on Possible LeBron James-Bulls Trade
On December 30, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports wrote an article detailing every NBA’s teams chances of acquiring Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. Bulls came in at no. 18 and in Tier 7, which Quinn called the “Not without Bronny” tier.
Quinn explained that James may be motivated to change the Bulls’ fortunes since they haven’t won a title since the Michael Jordan days and how he would fit with some of the Bulls’ players.
“The Bulls haven’t won a championship since (Michael) Jordan’s retirement. James might relish the opportunity to change that … and team up with beloved former teammate Alex Caruso in the process. Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball are Klutch clients, and DeMar DeRozan was a guest on LeBron’s unsanctioned 2021 offseason ripoff of The Bachelor,” Quinn said.
Quinn then questioned if acquiring James would make the Bulls a contender, given everyone’s age and risk for injury.
“The real question here is whether the Bulls can even contend with James? They’re 15-19 as currently constructed while rapidly getting older and incurring more injury risk.”
James is not on the trade market and has never requested a trade throughout his NBA career, but that can change if things don’t improve for the Lakers.
Zach Lowe Reveals How Bulls Will Approach Possible Rebuild
In a December 30 ESPN story, Zach Lowe revealed what many assume will happen if the Bulls decide to rebuild. More specifically, what would be the fates of DeRozan, LaVine, and Nikola Vucevix.
“The assumption has been that if the Bulls pivot to a rebuild, they’d trade DeRozan and Vucevic for youth and picks and then remodel around LaVine. But another teardown would be painful, and the Bulls owe the Orlando Magic their first-round pick this season if it falls outside the top four.,” Lowe said.
Lowe then asked what would happen if the Bulls traded LaVine away and kept DeRozan.
“LaVine is in the first year of a five-year max contract. What if they investigated trading LaVine for multiple players and retooling around DeRozan? What return would LaVine fetch?”