Getty Images Zach LaVine
NBA free agency is in full swing and the Chicago Bulls have been busy so far. On Friday the Bulls completed their main goal of re-signing Zach LaVine to a five-year $215 million max contract.
The Bulls also signed center Andre Drummond to a two-year $6.6 million deal and re-signed Derrick Jones Jr. to the same two-year $6.6 million dollar contract. While the Bulls have been busy that doesn’t mean the team is done with free agency or trades.
LaVine Relationship
The Bulls missed out on Jazz center Rudy Gobert after he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. However, the team could still make a move that will help them.
On Friday Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times hinted at the possibility that LaVine’s relationship with a certain superstar could be a big benefit for the Bulls.
LaVine has a good relationship with KD … and is not opposed to recruiting … just saying.
Cowley is right LaVine has a good relationship with Durant from their time playing for Team USA. LaVine also recruited DeMar DeRozan to join the Bulls last offseason.
The Bulls could lean on LaVine to see if he can try to persuade Durant to consider the Bulls in a trade. Ultimately though the Nets would have to agree to the trade and other teams could present better packages than the Bulls.
Chicago could propose a package built around DeRozan or Nikola Vucevic but the Nets likely want to go younger for the future. Teams like the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, and New Orleans Pelicans can all offer trades built around younger stars.
The Suns can build a package around Deandre Ayton, while the Pelicans could offer Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram, and the Heat can offer Tyler Herro. All of those packages could be more enticing to the Nets than what the Bulls could potentially offer.
However, Vegas seems to think the Bulls have a chance. POINTSBET posted their odds for Kevin Durant’s next team on Thursday and the Bulls were tied for third-best odds at +400 with the Pelicans. The Suns had the best odds at -110 and the Heat were second at +125.
Other Offseason Plans
While the Bulls and their fans can be wishful about Kevin Durant, the team still needs to be proactive about addressing some needs that they haven’t yet. Chicago still needs to add some shooting and potentially a backup point guard if they do trade Coby White.
In terms of shooting the Bulls could look to add someone like Donte DiVincenzo, Bryn Forbes, or Wayne Ellington. In terms of a backup point guard, Chicago could try to sign Dennis Schroeder, DJ Augustin, or Isaiah Thomas.
There are still options on the market for the Bulls to improve in the two areas that they need to, which is good news. However, Chicago can’t afford to hold out in hopes of landing Kevin Durant and miss on players that could help them improve for this season.
Obviously, if the Bulls can find a way to acquire Durant it would be a no-brainer for a franchise that’s trying to build a championship contender. However, they need to proceed with caution and still find ways to improve the roster.