At the beginning of the year, it looked like the Chicago Bulls were on a one-way trip to a rebuild. They started 5-14 and were well out of the Play-In Tournament race. But then, the run happened. The Bulls skyrocketed up the standings, surpassing the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors en route to a potential spot in the Play-In.
They’re still a ways off from effectively competing for a playoff spot, but they’re in a much more competitive spot than they were two months ago. And interestingly enough, they completed their season turnaround with Zach LaVine on the sidelines due to a foot injury.
LaVine didn’t play in a single game from November 28 to this past Friday, and the Bulls went 10-7 in that stretch. That’s a significant difference from their play at the start of the season.
Before he went down, the Bulls were reportedly focused on trying to find a trade for LaVine, and that could still be the case now. But what if they don’t completely tear it down? Instead, what if the Bulls try to trade LaVine… and improve?
Rather than trying to trade LaVine for young pieces and draft picks, could the Bulls just restructure the makeup of their team?
Trading LaVine for more three-point shooting and either an extra forward or big man could help them push forward and potentially improve. They’ve shown they can be competitive without LaVine, so what if that’s the key?
LaVine is a fine player. He’s a great shot-creator and a two-time All-Star for a reason. But with Coby White’s emergence and DeMar DeRozan’s scoring, could the Bulls get by with more role players instead of another ball-dominant guard?
What if they went after Kevin Huerter from the Sacramento Kings? Or maybe Andrew Wiggins from the Golden State Warriors? There are definitely options out there worth considering.
