As the Chicago Bulls embark on a telling offseason, their decision-making will reveal the true direction of the franchise. After two years of middling success and plenty of disappointment, they find themselves at a crossroads. On the one hand, they could keep the team intact and move toward improvement; on the other, they could tear down the roster and start from scratch.
Arturas Karnisoavs seems intent on following the latter of the two paths. He’s been clear about his desire to compete with the current core. In turn, it’s more likely that the Bulls make trades to bolster their roster rather than trade their stars for picks and young assets. But that’s not exactly what Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley’s latest article suggests.
In his latest mock trade, Buckley has the Bulls making a serious splash, trading Zach LaVine, but not for a haul of draft assets. Instead, he thinks they could land Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro.
Chicago Bulls trade rumors: Suggested Tyler Herro trade
Here’s the full outline of the trade Buckley proposed:
Heat receive: Zach LaVine
Bulls receive: Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Duncan Robinson, Two first-round picks
Chicago Bulls trade rumors: Buckley's explanation of Bulls' perspective
This is why Buckley believes Chicago should be interested in the deal:
“This is as good as any package Chicago could hope to land,” Buckley wrote. “Tyler Herro has serious centerpiece potential. He has averaged at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists in each of the past two seasons, and he just turned 23 in January. Tack on Nikola Jović (last summer’s No. 27 pick) and two first-round picks (one this summer, one in 2027 or beyond), and that’s a big enough return to justify taking on the remainder of Duncan Robinson’s deal.”
Chicago Bulls trade rumors: Buckley's explanation of Heat's perspective
Meanwhile, this is why Buckley believes the Heat should ponder this trade:
“This is plenty for the Heat to part with, but it might make sense to pay a massive price given this club’s offensive issues (the ones that existed before the playoffs tipped) and Jimmy Butler’s ticking clock,” wrote Buckley. “Zach LaVine could step in and serve as the go-to scoring option this team needs to carry the load until it’s time for Playoff Jimmy to take over.”
Chicago Bulls trade rumors: Verdict on Tyler Herro trade
This deal would be a steal for the Bulls. LaVine has proven to be a core piece of what Chicago is building, but Herro is five years younger, has many of the same tools, and has constantly flashed All-Star potential. He would even help the team remain competitive.
Jovic is an intriguing rookie for the Bulls to take a chance on, Robinson has shown signs of refinding his three-point shot during Miami’s current postseason run, and the two firsts would be a cherry on top.
If this deal came across Chicago’s desk, they would be fools not to accept it.
