This just in: the Chicago Bulls who, mere weeks ago, looked ready for the scrapheap, have won five of their last seven games (while nearly breaking through for a sixth win against a 23-14 Cavs team) entering Monday night. Not only that — a Zach LaVine-DeMar DeRozan combination that some had begun to question has been balling out.
Over the aforementioned seven-game stretch, DeRozan has logged a 28-6-6 line and shot 52.6% from the floor while LaVine has gone for 26-4-4 with shooting splits of 52-46-83. Meanwhile, the duo has posted a positive on-court net rating of 2.6.
Clearly, though, the Bulls have some holes to fill before fans can fully buy into the team as a legitimate noise-maker in the Eastern Conference. Specifically, at the point guard position, where Lonzo Ball’s ability to get back onto the court in 2022-23 is in doubt.
With that in mind, we’re pitching a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz as a means toward adding a legitimate floor general, as well as a floor-strecher to provide additional spacing for DeRozan and LaVine.
Trade Proposal Brings Mike Conley & Kelly Olynyk to the Bulls
In an effort to get the Bulls the aforementioned pieces for the playoff push, while also getting some much-needed draft capital back into the coffers, this is the trade we’re proposing:
- Chicago Bulls receive PG Mike Conley, F/C Kelly Olynyk and a first-round pick in 2023 (lesser of HOU, PHI and BKN)
- Utah Jazz receive F Patrick Williams and C Nikola Vucevic
It’s worth noting that the Bulls made a hard push to bring Conley to the Windy City before shifting their focus to the much younger Ball. In speaking with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Conley noted that the Bulls were in play before he re-signed with Utah during the 2021 offseason.
And while he hasn’t gotten any younger since that fateful summer, Conley continues to bring a lot of the things that Chicago needs to the court.
Through 28 appearances for Utah, the 35-year-old is averaging just under 10 points and eight assists per contest. And while he has struggled as a shooter since returning from a knee injury in December, he’s still hitting the three-ball at a 36% clip for the year.
Meanwhile, Olynyk’s three-point shooting prowess — he’s at 42.6% from deep on the year — would open things up for the rest of the offense in a way that Nikola Vucevic has failed to amid his plummeting conversion rate.
Giving up on Williams would be tough. However, the former No. 4 overall pick is still finding his way as an NBA player, and it may just be a long road for him. And if you believe in Chicago’s current All-Star core, this is the kind of return one can get behind.
The Time Is Nigh to Get Something of Value Back for Nikola Vucevic
During his days with the Orlando Magic, Vucevic was an All-Star and a legit go-to option down low with three-point chops to boot. For a Bulls team that runs everything through LaVine and DeRozan (the later of whom operates primarily in the mid-range), though, some of his best offensive talents will never be utilized.
Meanwhile, his defense has never been good enough to make up for any shortcomings he might have on the other side of the floor.
As such, Bulls brass would do well to cash in on the big man now before he goes out and gets his big free-agent deal this summer. To that end, a pair of useful players and a first-round pick — during a year when their own pick is likely Magic-bound — fits the ball, while also helping to compensate for the loss of Williams.
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Proposed Blockbuster Turns Patrick Williams Into Bulls’ New Floor General