Category: Bulls Trade Rumors

Proposed trade lands Jarred Vanderbilt with the Bulls

The proposed trade would see the Chicago Bulls swap Alex Caruso for Jarred Vanderbilt and a future first-round draft pick.

The Chicago Bulls are expected to be active in the trade market this summer. After missing out on the playoffs, it’s clear that some changes must be made to the current playing staff. Unfortunately for the Bulls, that could mean saying goodbye to some fan favorites and high-level contributors.

According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, moving on from Alex Caruso could help shore up Chicago’s frontcourt while allowing the team to get younger and more diverse on the defensive end. Buckley’s trade proposal would see Caruso head back to the Los Angeles Lakers, with Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2029 first-round draft pick heading in the opposite direction.

“The Bulls previously put a high trade price on Caruso, but they might think this suffices if they’re fans of Vanderbilt, who is an impactful and versatile defensive stopper in his own right. A lightly protected future first from a team built around a 39-year-old James and a 31-year-old, oft-injured Anthony Davis is about as valuable as a draft asset can be.”

Chicago has very few tradeable assets. As such, bringing back a future draft pick would give the front office some flexibility as they look to restructure the team. Vanderbilt would provide high-level wing defense while also adding size to the rotation.

Nevertheless, the Bulls have been reluctant to part with Caruso in the past. He’s seen as a winning player and the type of talent that helps set a culture within the locker room. Still, if the Bulls are going to re-tool or rebuild their roster, Caruso may be the first domino that has to fall.

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Mock trade sees Bulls swap Zach LaVine for Isaiah Stewart straight up

In this mock trade, the Chicago Bulls would trade Zach LaVine to the Detroit Pistons for Isaiah Stewart.

The Chicago Bulls are reportedly focused on trading Zach LaVine this summer. Aaron Kellerstrass of Pippen Ain’t Easy wrote a pair of mock trades to help the Bulls reset. The first was a flip of Alex Caruso and the 11th pick for the third pick, and the second was trading Zach LaVine to the Detroit Pistons for Isaiah Stewart.

“The Orlando Magic and Mortiz Wagner would also be a possibility here, but in this trade, the Bulls get a useful young big man from the Pistons in exchange for getting off LaVine’s contract,” wrote Kellerstrass. “Stewart is only owed $15 million in the first year of his extension next season, so the Bulls would save nearly $30 million in cap space, allowing them to address other needs.

“They get an immediate rotation player in Stewart, who can play both big man spots and improved his 3-point shooting to 38 percent this season. So, the Bulls get two young players without completely blowing up their roster, keep DeRozan and hope to compete while still building for the future. This may be the best of both worlds for the Bulls, who could actually win more games with these additions but also give a nod towards the future.”

By trading LaVine for Stewart, the Bulls would save a ton of money.

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Mock trade sees Bulls flip Alex Caruso for No. 3 pick in NBA Draft

In this mock trade, the Chicago Bulls would trade Alex Caruso to the Houston Rockets for the third pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

If the Chicago Bulls want to reshape the course of their franchise, they should plan for the future this summer instead of choosing to remain competitive. Aaron Kellerstrass of Pippen Ain’t Easy proposed a mock trade that would flip Alex Caruso and the 11th pick to the Houston Rockets for the third pick and the 44th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

“Should the Bulls really be trying to move up in what is mostly seen as a weak draft?’ Kellerstrass wrote. “Probably not, but if they are enamored with a particular prospect, they may be able to use Caruso’s expiring contract to get the 3rd pick from Houston, who is dying to make some win-now moves, not add more young players. If the Bulls get the sense that Caruso is not going to sign an extension, then they should trade him, as they risk losing him for nothing, which has been a common theme in Chicago.

“This would give them a chance to grab a table-setting point guard like Nikola Topic or possibly a two-way wing like Zaccharie Risacher. Losing Caruso wouldn’t help in the short term, but if there is a risk he is going to leave anyway, this would allow the Bulls to get a future piece without giving up too much to get it. They also get an additional pick in the second round to add a project.”

Adding a top-three pick in this year’s draft would help the Bulls reload their pool of young talent.

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Could the Bulls make a deal for the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?

Could the Chicago Bulls make a deal with the Houston Rockets for the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?

The Chicago Bulls have the 11th pick in this year’s draft, but with the team potentially pivoting toward a rebuild, they could look for more. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Houston Rockets are open to shopping the third pick, and Aaron Kellerstrass of Pippen Ain’t Easy suggested that the Bulls think about making a move for it.

“Caruso would be a nice fit, though it’s unlikely the Rockets would give up the third pick in exchange for one year of Caruso, fit or not,” Kellerstrass wrote. “If the Bulls were to attach their own 11th pick to the deal, Houston may have some interest. The Bulls would get a chance at a higher-tier draft prospect, though in this draft, you could argue that they have about as much chance of finding a star at 11 as they do with the 3rd pick. Chicago would have to really like someone at the top of the draft, otherwise Caruso and pick 11 are arguably more valuable.

“Chicago could also get involved in a deal that could potentially land them one of Houston’s excess young players (Tari Eason comes to mind) if Houston decides to keep their pick but still wants a veteran player.”

Adding the third pick would give the Bulls a chance to add one of the best players in this year’s draft.

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Magic floated as potential Zach LaVine trade destination for Bulls

The Orlando Magic could make a solid Zach LaVine trade partner for the Chicago Bulls.

As the Chicago Bulls get set to enter the offseason, trading Zach LaVine has to be pretty high on their priorities list. They tried to move him earlier this year, but things didn’t work out. Paul Connor of Sports Grid suggested the Orlando Magic as a potential landing spot for a trade this summer.

“The Magic surprised many this season,” Connor wrote. “Their 47 wins were the franchise’s most since 2010-11. Orlando was bolstered by its top-five defense but ranked 24th in offense, including last in three-pointers made per game. While the team could opt to bank on further development from youngsters Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, LaVine’s scoring prowess would immediately improve the overall balance of the roster.”

For the Magic, adding LaVine’s shot creation could help take them to the next level, as their offense fizzled out in the postseason.

And for the Bulls, adding some picks or young pieces in exchange for LaVine would be ideal.

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Zach LaVine-Thunder trade idea proposed as potential Bulls option

Could the Chicago Bulls trade Zach LaVine to the Oklahoma City Thunder?

The Chicago Bulls are likely going to try to trade Zach Lavine this summer. Reports indicated that they attempted to deal him earlier in the season, but an injury ended his year, meaning he stuck around. Paul Connor of Sports Grid recently brought up the idea of trading LaVine to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a move that would bring Josh Giddey back to Chicago.

“Josh Giddey’s offensive struggles could prompt Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti, with his boatload of draft capital, to upgrade the shooting guard position,” Connor wrote. “OKC was the youngest No. 1 seed in league history before falling victim to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the postseason.

“Adding a player of LaVine’s caliber to pair with MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might be what the organization needs to reach the next level.”

Bringing in Giddey as the backcourt partner for Coby White would certainly be an interesting idea for the Bulls.

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Would a Nikola Vucevic-Warriors trade make sense for the Bulls?

Would a Nikola Vucevic-Golden State Warriors trade make sense for the Chicago Bulls?

The Chicago Bulls need to figure out how they want to approach the 2024 offseason. For the past few years, they’ve tried to push forward toward the playoffs, but it makes more sense for them to tear things down and plan for the future. Whether or not they will do it is another question.

That said, if they decide to begin a new rebuild, they would have to consider trading all of their stars. One of those guys is big man Nikola Vucevic, who the Bulls just re-signed last offseason. A team that could potentially be interested is the Golden State Warriors.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggested a mock deal that would send Vucevic to Golden State, and the Chicago Bulls Central YouTube channel discussed the idea.

Vucevic’s presence in the Warriors’ frontcourt would be solid, but what would Golden State send back that the Bulls would want in return?

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Report: Zach LaVine was interested in Lakers trade during season

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine was reportedly interested in a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers this past season.

The Chicago Bulls have been trying to trade Zach LaVine for a while now, it seems. There were some rumblings throughout the course of the 2023-24 season, but a season-ending injury ended any hope of him getting moved from Chicago. Now, that will be their plan this summer.

But some of the options that were present during this past season may not be there again this offseason. Teams may choose to go in a different direction or target new people. Jovan Buha of The Atheltic spoke about the Los Angeles Lakers’ potential involvement in the LaVine sweepstakes during a recent edition of his podcast, Buha’s Block.

He said that while LaVine was interested in a move to the Lakers during the season, the deal may not happen this summer. (H/t Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report)

“I did hear during the season that Zach was intrigued by the potential of being a Laker,” Buha said. “And that was around the time the Zach-to-LA rumors started. I want to say that was like late November, December range. So, around that time through January, I was hearing that he had interest in potentially being in LA. Potentially being a Laker… Now, could those talks be revisited this summer? I don’t know. I would guess not.”

From what Buha is saying, it sounds like a LaVine-Lakers trade isn’t in the cards this offseason.

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The Chicago Bulls need to trade Zach LaVine this offseason

The Chicago Bulls need to trade Zach LaVine this offseason.

For a huge chunk of the season, it looked as though the Chicago Bulls were focused on trading Zach LaVine. And based on all of the recent rumors, they are going to try to trade him again this summer. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report listed a LaVine trade as one of Chicago’s top needs this offseason.

“If LaVine’s trade value isn’t at rock bottom after another injury-impacted season, it’s at least residing in the same zip code,” Buckley wrote. “And that doesn’t change the fact he more or less has to go this offseason. That’s more or less coming directly from the Bulls, too. For all of the big-ticket items on their summer to-do list, a LaVine trade “remains priority one, two and three this summer,” a team source told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“The Bulls can’t expect much of a return for LaVine, but that almost doesn’t matter. Getting out from under his colossal contract would make it easier for this front office to navigate. Not to mention, subtracting him from the team would ensure the runway stays clear for White’s continued ascension.”

If the Bulls want to move forward with a new direction, they need to trade LaVine.

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Mock trade sees Bulls send Nikola Vucevic, Alex Caruso to Warriors

This mock trade would see the Chicago Bulls send Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso to the Golden State Warriors.

The Chicago Bulls are heading into a very important offseason. They could choose to tear down the roster and plan for the future, or they could look to reshape things a bit and remain competitive. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed a mock deal that would send Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso to the Golden State Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, the 52nd pick, and a 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected).

“At his end-of-season press conference, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas acknowledged the need for roster changes,” Buckley wrote. “But before fans could even entertain the possibility of the franchise finally resetting, Karnišovas made clear, “I’m thinking about winning.” Chicago doesn’t sound remotely interested in rebuilding this offseason, but why not? DeMar DeRozan is entering unrestricted free agency. Zach LaVine is already on the trade block. Conditions are perfect for a clean break.

“The Bulls maybe wouldn’t tear things down to the ground—they’ll want to have some talent around breakout star Coby White—but they could turn over the veteran core. Here, turning Vučević and Caruso into Wiggins, a second-round pick and a future first-rounder hurts a little for now but carries the promise of a much better future.”

It feels like the Bulls should be able to get better value for Vucevic and Caruso than this.

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