The Chicago Bulls are going to have their work cut out for them this summer as they look to revamp the roster and push for the playoffs next season. Chicago could always pivot and hit the reset button, but from everything Arturas Karnisovas has put out into the ether, he is completely against the idea of a rebuild.
Instead, the Bulls will likely bring back the core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic heading into next year. But if that’s the plan, then Karnisovas need to focus on adjusting the roster around them, as the current group isn’t a lock to make the playoffs.
According to reports, one player could already be interested in joining Chicago. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported on 670 The Score that Los Angeles Lakers big man Mo Bamba would like to play for the Bulls. (H/t Daniel Greenberg)
Mo Bamba is a name to keep an eye on for the Chicago Bulls.
Bamba wants to play for the Bulls.
(Via @JCowleyHoops on @670TheScore)
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) June 23, 2023
Ironically enough, Bamba was traded for Bulls point guard Patrick Beverley at the 2023 NBA trade deadline this past season, leading to the Orlando Magic waiving Beverley and allowing him to sign with Chicago.
Bamba barely laced up his shoes for the Lakers, as he dealt with injuries for nearly the entirety of his brief stint in Los Angeles.
That being said, Bamba is still only 25 years old, so he still has room to grow as a player and could be worth taking a risk on for the Bulls, as his defensive upside has always been solid.
However, with Vucevic and Andre Drummond already set to be on the roster, Bamba might struggle to crack the rotation at times, especially if the Bulls plan to make a postseason push.
