The Bulls have been a notoriously passive franchise in recent seasons, preferring to see things through instead of being proactive on the trade market and deciding on a more concrete roster-building direction. They decided to hang on to Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan through last season, settling for minimal returns for assets that could have netted them more draft assets had they taken more initiative on the market. And now, it looks like their past trading demons have come back to haunt them in the Zach LaVine trade.
LaVine netted the Bulls nothing more than a bit more control over their future first-round picks (top-10 protected in 2025, top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027) as well as a bit of cap relief, although that cap relief isn’t exactly that needle-moving. For someone in the middle of a bounce-back season, the Bulls could have held out hope and gotten back more quality assets in return, but with the trade deadline coming up, that might have been the best they could do.
At the very least, the Bulls have now ripped the band-aid off and should now be more open for business moving forward. There are a few trade candidates remaining on the roster, with none more prominent than Nikola Vucevic. And it truly is time to just let go of the Montenegrin big man and fully start over, although in reality, Chicago should be making multiple trades prior to the deadline.
Bulls trade Nikola Vucevic to the retooling Mavericks
Bulls trade: Nikola Vucevic
Mavericks trade: Daniel Gafford, Dante Exum, Olivier Maxence-Prosper, one second-round pick
Nikola Vucevic may be a talented player, but there isn’t much demand from contending teams to bring him in and “rescue” him from the floundering Bulls. The answer as to “why” is simple; Vucevic, while providing inside and out offense from the center position, has some very real defensive shortcomings that can limit a team’s ceiling.
But with the Mavericks being aggressive when it comes to their title-contending window, perhaps they can look at Vucevic as the ideal frontcourt complement to the newly-acquired Anthony Davis.
However, considering their apprehensions regarding the defensive profile of Luka Doncic, hence their decision to trade him away to the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s a bit antithetical for them to acquire Vucevic. Nonetheless, getting through the playoff gauntlet requires versatility and matchup flexibility, and at the very least, Vucevic would give the Mavericks a floor-spacing big man alongside Davis while giving their blockbuster acquisition the center partner he’s been searching for for so long.
At the end of the day, the Mavericks are still going to play Davis at the five when push comes to shove. Their best defensive look still might be with Davis playing center, with PJ Washington, a disruptive roamer, alongside him in the frontcourt. But in matchups where a bit more offense is needed without sacrificing size, Vucevic could thrive — as long as the Mavs temper their expectations for him.
As for the Bulls, there is no way they can recoup what they gave up for Vucevic back in 2021. They will have to sell for pennies on the dollar yet again, although unlike in their trade for LaVine, they should target at least one player that they can develop into a long-term contributor. The Mavericks may not want to include Olivier Maxence-Prosper, but the Bulls should try their best to fight for his inclusion in this hypothetical trade.
But apart from Vucevic, the Bulls must also decide to shop Lonzo Ball, especially when he’s in the final year of his deal and his health has been progressing quite well.
Which team should trade for Lonzo Ball?
Lonzo Ball is not going to be easy to trade for; he’s in the final year of his deal worth $21.3 million, and at that price point, interested teams may find it difficult to add him considering the current CBA landscape. But speaking in terms of basketball fit, Ball would go a long way in improving a team’s contending prospects.
Teams such as the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers would benefit from adding Ball to the roster, but as things stand, it is impossible for either team to bring Ball in via a reasonable trade. The only viable way for Ball to join a winning team would be through the buyout market, and that comes with it its fair share of restrictions, as teams above the tax apron are subject to buyout restrictions.
At the end of the day, the Bulls may not be willing to trade Ball away anyway, and it’s not as if the 27-year-old guard is desperately searching for a new home.
