Getty DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
It’s been a relatively quiet off-season for the Chicago Bulls. The front office has focused on improving around the edges rather than embarking on a complete overhaul of the roster.
In fairness, considering how strong Chicago looked before getting bit by the injury bug, minor adjustments were probably all their roster needed heading into the new season. However, the rest of the Eastern Conference has been taking steps to improve their roster – be it with depth or by adding a vital new piece to their core.
One team that hasn’t had much success this summer has been the Miami Heat, who regressed on paper. Here’s where the latest trade proposal comes into play, as It operates under the assumption that Chicago struggles to figure things out early, and the Heat grow desperate in their bid to revitalize their stagnating roster.
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According to David Thorpe of TrueHoop, a deal between the two Eastern Conference teams could lead to an ideal return for both parties – although it would cost the Heat a significant amount of talent to make it happen while also seeing Chicago’s best player from last season heading to a direct rival.
The trade proposal looks like this.
Chicago Receives: Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, and Nikola Jovic
Miami Receives: DeMar DeRozan
“The Bulls get a manageable contract in Robinson’s, a great prospect in Jović, and a budding star in Herro, who they would likely want the Heat to sign and extend as part of any deal,” Thorpe wrote in his latest article.
On paper, the trade proposal makes perfect sense for Chicago – DeRozan is an aging veteran who, while impactful, may not be the ideal scorer to lead the team towards a championship. While adding three younger players, all of whom boast significant upside, would give the Bulls a new dimension and future flexibility in the trade market.
Herro Headlines Trade Proposal
Tyler Herro is the headliner of the three names postulated to land with the Bulls in Thorpe’s deal. The fourth-year shooting guard has improved as an initiator and offensive creator while also proving himself to be a three-level scorer.
This past season, Herro averaged 20.7 points, five rebounds, and four assists per night while shooting 39.9% from deep and 47.7% from two – earning himself Sixth Man of the Year honors. Unfortunately, once the playoffs rolled around, Herro succumbed to injury and could not halt the Heat’s slide against the Boston Celtics.
Tyler Herro is shifty 👀
Yet, should Herro join the Bulls, he would immediately become the team’s sixth man, primarily playing back-up to All-Star guard/wing Zach Lavine – and given Herro’s production last season, you would be confident in his ability to keep the offense ticking over.
Committing to Sustained Success
For Chicago, seeing DeRozan leave for a conference rival would be a bitter pill to swallow – but the fact is, the 33-year-old doesn’t fit their current timeline. Here is a team designed to accentuate the talents of Lavine and Lonzo Ball, two players in their early-to-mid twenties, so adding some talent of a slightly younger age, with significant upside, makes sense.
Adding Robinson instantly means acquiring one of the best single-skill shooters in the NBA and boosting your team’s perimeter offense. While Jovic, who was selected with the 27th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is still an unproven commodity around the league.
DeMar DeRozan was SO CLUTCH last season
There is never an ideal time to trade away one of your star scorers, but if there was one, and the Heat came calling with this proposed package, that time would be now! Can you imagine a bench boasting the likes of Alex Caruso, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Andre Drummond, Goran Dragic, and Derrick Jones Jr – among others? It would quickly ensure Chicago had the necessary depth to survive a deep playoff run and handle the rigors of an arduous NBA season.
However, right now, the Bulls would probably settle for Ball making a swift return from injury.