Tag: NBA Trade Rumors

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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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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Blockbuster mock trade sees Spurs steal Devin Booker from Suns

In this mock trade, the San Antonio Spurs would land Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns.

The San Antonio Spurs have a huge chance to improve their roster this summer. Victor Wembanyama is already one of the best players in the NBA, and if they want to, they could add some serious talent around him on the trade market. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report wrote a mock trade that would see them land Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Keldon Johnson, Malaki Branham, Zach Collins, Blake Wesley, the fourth pick, the eighth pick, a 2025 first-round pick (via ATL), and a 2027 first-round pick (via ATL).

“Not to dump this otherwise fun idea into an ice bath from the start, but let’s get this disclaimer out of the way: There is almost no universe in which this deal goes down this summer,” Buckley wrote. “Booker isn’t looking for a trade, and the Suns aren’t planning to split up their stars. So, shift this hypothetical blockbuster even an inch away from the trade machine, and it probably runs out of oxygen. It still feels worth discussing, though, because Phoenix looks stuck, and San Antonio has the kind of asset collection that could eventually help a franchise un-stick itself.

“The names and picks heading to the Suns here almost don’t matter, because the Spurs have so much more to offer. If Booker was truly on the table, they might only make Victor Wembanyama off-limits. (Asking for Devin Vassell could torpedo the talks, though, or at least greatly reduce the amount of assets included with him.)

“Value-wise, this feels relatively close to what Booker is worth—and especially what he’d be worth to the Spurs. They need a primary creator to pair with Wembanyama, and Booker is one of the best in the business. He just authored his fourth career campaign with at least 25 points, five assists and two three-pointers per game. The list of players ever to match or exceed that feat is only eight names long. A Booker-Wembanyama pairing would be a vicious NBA Jam-style twosome, not to mention the foundation of a full-fledged contender for years to come. Again, the Spurs probably have no shot at Booker this summer, but it’d be worth a few phone calls to find out for sure before moving on to other primary playmaker pursuits.”

Putting Booker next to Wembanyama would create an elite duo.

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Mock trade sees Spurs flip Keldon Johnson to Heat

In this mock trade, the San Antonio Spurs would send Keldon Johnson to the MIami Heat.

The San Antonio Spurs have a few needs they should look to address this summer. One of those needs is three-point shooting, as spacing the floor next to Victor Wembanyama will be crucial to their success. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report wrote a mock trade that would see the Spurs send Keldon Johnson to the Miami Heat for Duncan Robinson and the 15th pick in the draft.

“Miami could have a massive move up its sleeve this summer,” Buckley wrote. “Or maybe the Heat’s latest star search will end up like so many of their near-misses in recent years. Then again, maybe the Heat just don’t feel the need for such a substantial change. They were bullied by the injury bug this season and still wound up 10 games above .500, escaped the play-in tournament and snagged a double-digit playoff road win against the league’s No. 1 seed. Give them a clean bill of health, and maybe they’re back rubbing elbows with the East’s elite next season.

“The Heat could still use more scoring, though, which is how Johnson might wind up on the radar. He plays with a nonstop motor and relentless hustle, and he’s skilled enough to have netted 22.0 points per game in 2022-23 and shot 39.8 percent from three-point range the prior season. Johnson would be an intriguing way of attacking Miami’s inconsistent scoring and perhaps a cost-effective one if the Heat’s developmental staff could buff the rougher areas of his skill set.”

Adding Robinson’s shooting and a first-round pick would be a solid haul for the Spurs, but perhaps they should look to use Johnson’s salary in a trade for the star instead.

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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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Mock trade sees Bulls land 21-year-old guard, draft pick for veteran

In a recent mock trade, the Chicago Bulls would snag Jaden Springer and a draft pick from the Boston Celtics.

As the Chicago Bulls look to reshape their roster this summer, bringing in more young players should be a top priority. They should be planning for the future rather than adding for the present. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report recently proposed a mock trade that would see them move Torrey Craig to the Boston Celtics for Jaden Springer and the 30th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

“A perennial contender looking perhaps as strong as ever, the Celtics have no incentive to even consider making a significant move this summer,” Buckley wrote. “Even this could be more than they want to stomach, as they sound legitimately interested in Springer’s defense and could see this draft pick as a way to help balance their pricey payroll.

“Then again, if Jrue Holiday, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White are all on the roster, this backcourt could be too crowded to work Springer into the rotation. The same holds true for whichever player Boston would target at No. 30. Regardless of position, it would be tough for a rookie to log meaningful minutes for this club next season. Craig may not have that problem, though. He’s a shapeshifting defender who has shot at least 39 percent from three in back-to-back seasons. That archetype fits everywhere in the modern league and could look especially enticing in Boston, where the wing rotation thins out in a hurry behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.”

Adding Springer’s defensive play and a draft pick would be a solid haul for Craig.

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Mock trade sees Bulls flip Alex Caruso for 20-year-old and big man

In a recent mock trade, the Chicago Bulls would flip Alex Caruso to the Indiana Pacers for two young players.

The Chicago Bulls should pivot this summer. Instead of competing for a playoff spot, they should reset and plan for the future, adding young pieces next to Coby White. In a recent mock trade written by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, they would send Alex Caruso to the Indiana Pacers for 20-year-old forward Jarace Walker and big man Isaiah Jackson.

“The Pacers made a bold move to get Pascal Siakam in January, and it resulted in their first Eastern Conference Finals trip in a decade,” Buckley wrote. “Even if some will say injuries assisted in that run, the goal was to make noise in the playoffs, and they’ve generated plenty of it. So, does this fuel them toward more win-now activity in the offseason? Because if Siakam is sticking around—Indy’s willingness to give up three first-round picks for him indicates an obvious desire to keep him—Walker faces quite the obstacle to find meaningful minutes. And despite flashes of athletic interior activity, Jackson still can’t quite lock down a nightly rotation role, either.

“Would the Pacers consider flipping both for Caruso? It’s easy to argue they should. They need a pesky defensive presence like him on the perimeter, and his versatility extends to the offensive end, which means he can mesh with whomever head coach Rick Carlisle trots out. Caruso isn’t a star, but if Indiana is as close to contending as this postseason push has made it seem, he might be the sneaky-smart addition that gets this group over the proverbial hump.”

Bringing in two young players for Caruso could help the Bulls have a brighter tomorrow.

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