True to his word, Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is looking at every avenue to improve the team.

“Onuralp Bitim, who went to work out for NBA teams, was very successful in Chicago Bulls and gained the attention of the club,” reads the Google translated version of a report from Turkish outlet, Basketfoul on June 23. “Onuralp Bitim, who is hopeful for the contract, feels [a] two-way contract from Chicago…if he accepts.”

He should participate in the G League and will represent Turkey in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Bitim also worked out for the San Antonio Spurs and Bulls head coach Billy Donovan’s former team the Oklahoma City Thunder. And BasketNews reports that EuroLeague teams Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul have shown interest in him.

He averaged 18.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists this season for Frutti Extra Bursa. He also has good size at 6-foot-5, is only 24 years old, and averaged 1.2 steals per game. But, perhaps most importantly, Bitim shot 40.9% on 6.9 threes per game this year – key for a Bulls team that ranked 30th in three-pointers taken and made in 2022-23.

Bitim would be the second of the Bulls’ three allotted two-way contract slots for this coming season under the new collective bargaining agreement.

Bulls Add National Champion

The Bulls’ first two-way slot went to big man, Adama Sanogo, the leading scorer on the 2023 NCAA champion UConn Huskies averaging 17.2 points adding 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists falling just shy of 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.

He too can space the floor, knocking down 36.5% of his looks, albeit on just 1.3 attempts.

Sanogo was the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and showed steady improvement throughout his career.

The Bulls’ had undrafted free agent forward Justin Lewis and Terry Taylor as their two-way players last season.

Lewis was a priority undrafted free agent in 2022 while the Bulls picked up Taylor in February after the Indiana Pacers waived him but he only saw action in five contests averaging 4.0 points and 1.6 boards in just over 7.0 minutes per game. It will be interesting to see which – if either – of Lewis or Taylor gets the third two-way contract.

Sanogo in particular could also mean an even tougher path to any minutes for Marko Simonovic who, going into his fourth season since being drafted and two seasons since coming overseas, has appeared in just 16 games.

Bulls Adding Youth to Aging Roster

The Bulls were just outside the top-third in oldest averaged age by a team in the NBA this past season, ranking 12 at 26.7 years old, per RealGM.

A couple of those aging players are at or near the end of their contracts and, even with the likes of Nikola Vucevic being in talks for a new contract, the Bulls have to plan for the future which means stockpiling developmental talent. Without a first-round pick in two of the last three drafts, their work in the undrafted free-agent market could pay dividends down the road.

It is hard to see these players cracking head coach Billy Donovan’s rotation enough to make a significant impact this season. But surprises happen every season and the Bulls’ future could become the focus if next season goes off the rails.

If the Chicago Bulls aren’t eyeing a complete teardown but still want to shift gears, they may find a suitable trade partner in the Philadelphia 76ers.

“Getting out from under a long-term contract like Zach LaVine‘s (which runs through 2026-27), could kickstart such a reboot,” wrote Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report on June 23. “A trade involving him and Tobias Harris (whose deal ends in 2024) might make some sense.”

Bulls get:

– Tobias Harris

76ers get:

– Zach LaVine
-2029 1st Rd Pick

The draft compensation could be a big sticking point.

Philadelphia won’t have full control of their first-round picks until 2029 at the earliest, though they could add swap options to push this one over the top, assuming the Bulls are so inclined.

Harris, 30, averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and just a hair under 1.0 steals per game this past season. He shot 50.1% from the floor overall and 38.9% from beyond the arc and is heading into the final year of a five-year, $180 million contract that has been difficult for them to maneuver around.

Some rivals believe Philly is “overvaluing” Harris, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“The Sixers will only make a deal that would be hard to pass up,” Pomey wrote on June 21. “Teams around the league believe the Sixers are…asking for ‘outrageous packages in return’.”

The 6-foot-8 Harris showed his value in the Sixers’ opening-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 20.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and shooting 57.1% from long distance.

He also showed why teams have been reluctant to take him off Philly’s hands as he averaged 12.4 points and 6.4 rebounds as the Sixers blew a 3-2 lead to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. A trade to the Bulls would be Harris’ sixth in his 13-year career (including draft night) and would mean suiting up for as many teams.

“The Sixers aren’t willing to trade him unless it drastically improves their team,” Pompey added.

Zach LaVine Could Be Upgrade Sixers Seek

LaVine, 28, would certainly be an upgrade from Harris from a production and longevity standpoint. He averaged 26.4 points on 62.7% true shooting and shot 37.0% from deep after the calendar flipped to 2023.

He is heading into the second year of a five-year, $215 million contract.

The Bulls’ current franchise cornerstone, rumblings of the team gauging LaVine’s trade value cropped back up ahead of the draft and have irked the two-time All-Star in the past.

While he is said to have no interest in joining the New York Knicks, perhaps a trade to the Sixers to pair with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and possibly James Harden – who would be the best passer LaVine has ever played with – is more intriguing. LaVine’s feelings on the Knicks are said to be based in part on the influence of the CAA sports agency in the organization.

LaVine’s fellow Klutch Sports client, Maxey, is currently a rising star for Philly. Klutch also represents injured Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball while the Knicks are one of 12 teams that do not currently roster a player on their lengthy list of clients.

Potential Reset After Next Season

“[The Bulls are] 28th in the NBA in winning percentage over the last six seasons, and the more recent additions of Nikola Vucevic and DeMar DeRozan only elevated the team from bad to mediocre,” Bailey writes. “And a team like the Philadelphia 76ers, who might convince themselves they’re one piece away, could use LaVine’s explosiveness.

Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has made his interest in retaining Vucevic (and the rest of the core) together clear.

They are currently in talks with Vucevic on what rival executives believe will be a three-year pact worth $60-plus million in total, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype which would indicate they truly are ready to double down on this group.

Still, LaVine would represent the Bulls’ best trade asset in any sort of rebuilding effort.

This deal might only make sense if he is demanding a trade to Philadelphia publicly which would drive his trade value down considerably since the Bulls have held a fairly high valuation of the former No. 13 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft.

It does, however, fit with some of the follow-up reporting after word broke that they were gauging his trade value once again.

“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks, and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” wrote NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson on June 19. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”

Could both teams be convinced that this is the deal they need to make?

The above deal would give the Sixers another high-level scorer around reigning the MVP in Embiid while the Bulls get a versatile player in Harris, draft capital, and the chance at much cleaner books next offseason with DeRozan heading into the final year of his contract.

There isn’t a ton of optimism that the Chicago Bulls will make many — if any — major moves this offseason. Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas told the media after the NBA draft on June 23 that he has the support of the front office to spend, even if it means going into the luxury tax.

Don’t count on that happening, though. The Bulls have entered the luxury tax just once in their history, back in 2013, and it’s highly unlikely it will happen again this year. That means some middle-of-the-road talent will likely be heading to the Windy City.

A few players have been mentioned as names to watch for the Bulls, and one of those is Los Angeles Lakers center Mo Bamba. In a June 23 appearance on 670 The Score’s Bernstein & Holmes Show, insider Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times said the 25-year-old Lakers big would love to play for the Bulls.

Cowley: Mamba ‘Wants to Be a Bull’

Co-host Dan Bernstein asked Cowley if there might be a defensive-minded rim patroller available for a reasonable price and one name specifically came up.

“Keep an eye on Mo Bamba,” Cowley told Bernstein. “This is a guy that’s wanted to come to the Bulls for the last couple years. I don’t know if it was something that was engrained in him growing up and that’s what he saw … and that’s what he fell in love with, but this is a guy who wants to be a Bull.”

The sixth overall pick for the Orlando Magic in 2018, Bamba was traded to the Lakers last season as part of the four-team trade that ultimately sent Patrick Beverley out of L.A. The 7-foot, 230-pound center suffered a high left ankle sprain this past season, which forced him to miss over a month with L.A., but he had some good games when he was healthy.

While with the Lakers, Bamba averaged 3.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.6 blocked shots, shooting over 31% from beyond the arc in 9.8 minutes a game. Those numbers are down from the ones he put up in Orlando, when he averaged 7.3 points, 4.6 boards and shot just under 40% from downtown in 17.0 minutes of work per game.

Bamba has a non-guaranteed $10.3 million contract for 2023-24 that becomes fully guaranteed at the end of June, and it’s doubtful the Lakers will pay it, so he could very likely be a free agent soon.

Is There Room for Bamba in Chicago?

The Bulls are currently attempting to re-sign veteran big man Nikola Vucevic, who started all 82 games for them last season. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported on June 18 that the Bulls and Vooch are looking at something close to a three-year deal worth around $65 million.

Bamba would be an affordable backup option, with his salary likely falling in the $5-6 million range for next season. “Rim protectors don’t fall right into your lap. You have to cultivate one, or one has to come and play for you,” Cowley added. That’s true, but Andre Drummond, 29, was Chicago’s backup center last year.

Drummond has a $3.4 million player option he’ll need to decide on by June 29 (he’ll likely accept), but Bamba could be a real option if the Bulls want to move on from Drummond, who scored 6.0 points and grabbed 6.6 rebounds in 12.7 minutes of work last season.

It’s not major drama, but Chicago’s backup center position will surely be one to watch in the coming months.

A big part of the Chicago Bulls’ offseason plan will be retaining their own free agents. Two of those free agents, Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White, were the franchise’s top picks in their respective draft classes.

Both players are restricted free agents this offseason and there was a notion the generally frugal and cash-strapped Bulls might have to choose between one or the other. But Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is not going to just let either walk away this summer.

“Coby and Ayo I think they are developing young players,” Karnisovas said during his media availability via the Bulls on June 22. “We’re gonna address that in free agency.”

Asked if he will extend qualifying offers to both players, Karnisvoas gave an unequivocal “yes”.

Coby White’s Persistence Paid Off

White, 23, is one of just two players to pre-date Karnisovas’ arrival and takeover of basketball operations. The other is two-time All-Star Zach LaVine whom the Bulls signed to the largest contract in franchise history.

The Bulls had White on the trade block dating back to the 2021 trade deadline. White’s stats this past season – 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 37.2% from three – were all down from last season but fail to highlight how much progress he made as a more complete player which head coach Billy Donovan certainly appreciated.

“He’s played well,” Donovan said. “The thing that’s been really impressive to me is the jump he’s made from last year to this year defensively and the amount of time and effort. He had a really, really good summer and I really attribute a lot of his success to that.”

Donovan said White was becoming a “two-way player”, a necessity on a roster headlined by LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic none of whom are plus-defenders.

White drew just two starts this past season but he made a career-high 72 appearances.

With Karnisovas confirming that intended starting point guard Lonzo Ball is not expected to return next season as he continues to rehab, the Bulls have more incentive than not to be “all in” on retaining White. If nothing else he provides some familiarity for the group and knows how he would be needed coming out of the gate.

To that end, Donovan agreed that there could be another opportunity for White to crack the starting lineup – something White has said is a goal of his – should the former North Carolina Tar Heel return next season.

The Bulls will have the right to match any offer White may get since he is a restricted free agent so the final call was always theirs to make.

But it does bring a little more clarity to their offseason.

Ayo Dosunmu’s Sophomore Slump Led to Demotion

Dosunmu, 23, opened last season as the starting point guard but soon found himself demoted to the bench along with former No. 4 overall pick, Patrick Williams. A Chicago native, Dosunmu surprised as a rookie second-round pick in 2021-22 averaging 8.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc.

This past season, he posted a very similar stat line with 8.6 points and 2.8 rebounds but his assists (2.6) and perimeter efficiency (31.2%) both fell. But he still brought inspired defense even after his demotion.

It really was never really a matter of if the Bulls wanted to keep Dosunmu in the mix.

There has even been word that the team is eyeing a multi-year contract for the former No. 38 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft

“Dosunmu is a restricted free agent who has limited market value after a backsliding season,” wrote Sam Smith of Bulls.com on June 16. “But he’s well-liked by the coaching staff and management and expected to receive a reasonable contract for two or three seasons.”

The question was always making it work financially but Karnisovas says that’s not an issue.

“I think it all depends on free agency, how that goes,” Karnisovas said. “And Jerry and Michael [Reisndorf] have been always open with me to go into luxury tax if our team is competitive – top four, top six in the East. If there are players in free agency that…we go, ‘Yeah, they can improve our team,’ and we’re competitive, we’ll retain our free agent.”

If the Chicago Bulls do trade two-time All-Star and current franchise cornerstone Zach LaVine, it probably won’t be to the New York Knicks.

“Zach LaVine’s representatives would be against a deal to the Knicks,” wrote Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News on June 23. “A source said the LaVine camp isn’t interested in dealing with the Knicks, who have a reputation around the league of favoring clients of CAA, the agency that employed Leon Rose before his move to the Knicks front office.”

There are multiple parts of this that bear monitoring.

This is further confirmation that the Bulls are indeed shopping LaVine, as first reported by Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer. It could also suggest that the Bulls aren’t simply gauging LaVine’s trade value for exploratory purposes.

If not for LaVine’s sentiments, the Knicks – with whom the Bulls held trade talks regarding LaVine at the trade deadline – would make for an intriguing trade partner.

“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” wrote NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson on June 19. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”

As Bondy notes, the Knicks are “strapped” with future draft picks.

The Knicks also have several younger players that could help facilitate a rebuild if the Bulls pivoted away from their veteran core as some around the league still believe is possible.

“I…heard from an insider that he believes the Bulls are done with this Big Three,” reported Sam Smith of Bulls.com on May 19. “Sources who may or may not know agreed. Of course, such an observation doesn’t need Sherlock Holmes.”

While that initially was taken to mean a full teardown, it could just mean the Bulls’ front office is ready to move on from this particular grouping. And, being roughly five years younger than their next best potential trade chip in DeMar DeRozan, it makes sense that LaVine’s name has been more prominently discussed, though the Bulls have gauged the value of both.

As Bondy also notes, neither the Bulls nor the Knicks are beholden to LaVine’s wishes but that could make things messy for New York down the road.

The Klutch Sports Factor

Another, perhaps even more telling aspect of Bondy’s report is that LaVine’s unwillingness to play for the Knicks is related to CAA’s influence and not his previous relationships with some in the organization.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was running the Minnesota Timberwolves when LaVine was traded to the Bulls in 2017.

LaVine, 28, is a Klutch Sports client.

This naturally begs the question of whether he would be more amenable to a trade to a destination like the Los Angeles Lakers where Klutch has greater pull thanks in no small part to LeBron James. The Lakers were among the many teams interested in LaVine during his brief foray into free agency last summer and could still hold an interest amid these new reports.

Bulls Actions Track With Arturas Karnisovas’ Plans

Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has pushed the idea that he wants to give this group as much time as he can to prove their worth despite heading into the third full season of the experiment.

Karnisovas has also said that he would “look at everything” in trying to improve the team and confirmed after the draft that he does indeed have the “green light” to go into the luxury tax.

The caveat is that he suggested the Bulls needed to be a top-six seed or higher to follow through on that notion. Chicago was the six-seed in the 2021-22 season but Karnisovas’ logic at that time was that the group needed more time to jell only to see the team limp to the finish line, a trend that continued through the bulk of this past season.

A surprise trade by the Chicago Bulls, moving up to the No. 35 overall pick to select Tennessee wing, Julian Phillips, was potentially overshadowed by rather dour news.

Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas confirmed the reports that intended starting point guard Lonzo Ball is expected to miss the entire 2023-24 campaign as he continues to work his way back from a knee injury.

“Going into the offseason, I think our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season, and he’s gonna continue on his recovery,” Karnisovas said via the team’s YouTube channel on June 22. “If he comes back, it would be great. But we’re just going to treat this offseason and getting ready for the season that he’s he’s not going to be back next season.”

Ball has undergone three surgeries since being sign-and-traded to the Bulls in 2021.

The latest procedure, a ligament replacement surgery, is a rarity in the sports world and is aimed at improving his quality of life more so than getting him back on the basketball court.

Bulls Waiting Out Lonzo Ball’s Recovery

Karnisovas’ note about Ball being off crutches is a positive takeaway. Ball’s early recovery was marred by frequent stops whenever he tried to ramp up his intensity and, while this may be a long way from any type of progress beyond that point, he is progressing.

“He’s recovering nicely,” Karnisova said. “I think last month he got off the crutches, and he’s recovering, doing his rehab. Everything is going well.”

Still, as of Karnisovas’ appearance, it had been 525 days since Ball was healthy enough to play.

Asked if he had any “confidence” Karnisovas, said “no”.

“No, I hope eventually that you’re going to see him on a basketball court again,” said Karnisovas. “But I don’t expect him back next season.”

He also said that the team is not considering applying for the disabled player exception which would allow the Bulls to clear half of Ball’s salary off their books for this season, perhaps providing some wiggle room to further improve the team in his absence. Karnisovas’ answer still establishes the Bulls’ belief that Ball will miss the upcoming season.

An independent panel would still have to concur for the Bulls to receive relief, however. Ball is heading into the third year of a four-year, $80 million contract and has a $21.4 million player option for next season.

Rival GM Warned of Bulls’ Offseason Plans

All of this falls right in line with what a rival executive told Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney about the Bulls’ plans for this coming offseason. Karnisovas spoke of bringing back who they could and adding to improve the roster.

“They are not going to make a move for a point guard, that has not been in the pipeline for them at all,” the GM told Heavy Sports in April. “They have pretty much put everything into the idea that Lonzo is coming back and if he doesn’t, then maybe…the front office can take cover in the fact that, ‘Hey we signed a guy who got injured and that’s that’.

What that means for the rest of the offseason remains to be seen, literally as Karnisovas was posed with giving a message to potentially disappointed fans.

“I think we made a move in the draft,” he said. “I know it’s a disappointment it’s not in first round but we did. But they will have to wait I think until the free agency to see what we look like after that.”

He certainly has put the onus on himself and his staff to deliver.

Tobias Harris and his $39 million expiring contract with the Philadelphia 76ers was deemed the top offseason target for the Chicago Bulls by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey in a piece published June 23 following the 2023 NBA draft.

“Getting out from under a long-term contract like Zach LaVine’s (which runs through 2026-27), could kickstart such a reboot,” Bailey prefaced before saying, “And a team like the Philadelphia 76ers, who might convince themselves they’re one piece away, could use LaVine’s explosiveness. A trade involving him and Tobias Harris (whose deal ends in 2024) might make some sense.”

The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, set to begin on July 1, the first day of free agency, was designed to penalize teams that repeatedly find themselves above the luxury tax threshold. Expiring contracts are now some of the most valuable currency an NBA franchise could possess, making Harris’ deal one that teams will give up real assets for.

Bulls Star Would Fit ‘Beautifully’ With Sixers’ Joel Embiid

As Bailey would later explain, LaVine would fit “beautifully” with the Sixers should Philadelphia and Chicago both have interest in a swap sending Harris’ expiring money to the Bulls for the former UCLA star.

“Chicago may not have given any indication that it wants to rebuild yet, but Tobias Harris’ expiring contract would be an interesting place to start,” Bailey prefaced before saying, “And Zach LaVine’s explosive perimeter scoring ability would fit beautifully with Joel Embiid’s dominant post game. Both command a ton of defensive attention, and they command it at different areas of the floor. Opposing defenses would be stretched thin trying to cover both.”

More than likely, Joel Embiid and LaVine would have James Harden helping to run the show in the Sixers’ offense. Harden is likely to re-sign with Philadelphia instead of returning to the Houston Rockets, as has been heavily rumored, according to PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck.

“Harden returning to the Sixers on a team-friendly deal remains the focus of Philadelphia’s offseason, and it looks increasingly likely that they might be able to make that happen,” Neubeck said. “The Houston Rockets are Harden’s biggest suitor outside of Philadelphia, but the indication is that they are not willing to go over the top with years or dollars to sign him specifically.”

Zach LaVine Uninterested in Sixers’ Division Rival

As the New York Daily News’ Stefan Bondy reported, LaVine is uninterested in joining the Sixers’ Atlantic Division rivals, the New York Knicks, due to the presence of former CAA employee Leon Rose.

“Zach LaVine’s representatives would be against a deal to the Knicks, the Daily News has learned,” Bondy wrote. “The Bulls are reportedly gauging interest in the All-Star guard, which prompted speculation that the Knicks — who are strapped with future draft assets — would get involved. But a source said the LaVine camp isn’t interested in dealing with the Knicks, who have a reputation around the league of favoring clients of CAA, the agency that employed Leon Rose before his move to the Knicks front office.”

The Chicago Bulls have still gone with a pick in the NBA Draft once in franchise history.

That came all the way back in 2005 and almost happened again with the franchise owning zero picks coming into the 2023 NBA Draft after previous trades and tampering violations. They did not end the night that way, however, as executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas swung a trade with the Washington Wizards.

“The Bulls are acquiring the No. 35 pick from Wizards and selecting Julian Phillips,” tweeted The Athletic and Stadium NBA insider Shams Charania on June 22. “Bulls sent a couple of second-rounders to Washington to enter the draft and pick Julian Phillips.”

Phillips is a 6-foot-7 forward out of Tennessee who averaged just 8.3 points per game this past season but is a multi-positional defender and top-tier athlete.

“Our group liked him,” Karnisovas said in his post-draft press conference via the Bulls’ Twitter feed. “He’s an ex-McDonald’s All-American, freshman – 19 years old. Multi-positional defender, one of the best athletes in the draft: 43-inch vertical. He can step in right now, probably, can defend on our level.”

The defensive aspect of Phillips’ game has not been in question. But, after he shot just 23.9% from beyond the arc this past season, there is some question about whether his jump shot will come around enough.

“He has a lot of things obviously to improve,” Karnisovas said. “But we’re looking forward to he’s very young, and he’s very talented.

It’s a very similar assessment to Dalen Terry who logged 214 total minutes as a rookie.

Derrick Jones Jr Impacted Bulls’ Draft Plans

While they might have always wanted to move into the draft at some point as was reported leading up to the event, forward Derrick Jones Jr.’s sudden change of heart impacted the Bulls’ thought process.

Jones Jr. initially told NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson that he couldn’t see any reason why he wouldn’t pick up his $3.4 million player option for next season.

Two months later, Jones changed his mind, per Charania.

“It played a bit of a factor, no doubt,” Bulls general manager Marc Eversley said. “DJ, for everything he brought to the floor – the athleticism, the length, his ability to get out and defend multiple positions. Julian fits a lot of those same attributes…they’re both very similar in terms of the way they play and style of play, and we’re excited about bringing him into the fold.”

Karnisovas did say that there is still a chance that Jones returns in free agency and also confirmed that he has the green light to push the payroll into luxury tax territory if he deems it necessary.

For anyone disappointed that they haven’t done much yet, Karnisovas says “wait and see” what they do in free agency, further putting the onus on himself to get this team back on track.

But is Phillips the kind of pick that can help them do that?

Bulls Roasted for Julian Phillips Pick

“Julian Phillips — another toolsy wing who can’t shoot. Just what the Bulls need,” tweeted Mark Karantzoulis of CHGO Bulls. “I don’t mean to complain. And I certainly don’t want to trash Phillips. But if you’re going to trade into the second round and make a move — which is good — can you do so for someone that makes sense and can actually influence the rotation?”

That was a common complaint of last season as Terry was relegated to supporting his team from the bench if he was not getting reps in the G League. He admitted that he was not prepared to have such a small role.

Phillips could follow a similar path despite both coming into the league with traits the Bulls seemingly need.

But they self-identified three-point shooting as a need and Phillips will not help with that.

While it might seem like Phillips isn’t needed, the Bulls had reason to feel otherwise.

And, while he did not shoot the ball well from long distance, he did shoot over 82% at the free throw line, offering some hope for his shot long term.

The Chicago Bulls entered the day of the 2023 NBA Draft without any draft picks; 18 years since they last went without a draft pick and just the second time in franchise history.

But rumblings of looming potential changes are on the rise.

First came word that Bulls executive vice president of basketball operation Arturas Karnisovas and Co. were checking rival teams’ temperature on a Zach LaVine trade – the asking price of which was revealed by NBA Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson – as well as that of DeMar DeRozan and it appears that those calls may have been more than exploratory.

“According to team sources, Karnišovas has the green light from ownership to steer the franchise how he sees fit,” wrote Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic on June 22. “Whichever direction he chooses is said to be his call, free of interference or influence from his bosses.”

After an aggressive start to his tenure, swapping out all but two players pre-existing his takeover in 2020 – LaVine and Coby White – Karnisovas has preached and practiced patience.

The Bulls have made only marginal additions for two trade deadlines and one full offseason.

Of their four established acquisitions in that span, only Andre Drummond is set to be on the roster next season. But, despite the apparent autonomy that Karnisovas has been granted, a rival executive told to Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney that they believe the Bulls are ultimately held back by an ownership group notorious for being thrifty.

“They can’t add salary, they can’t go over the tax,” the exec told Heavy Sports in January. “Ownership will not let them do that. That leaves them two choices – play it out with what you have this year or tear it all down completely.”

The Bulls decided to play out the season, finishing 14-9 and even winning a Play-In Tournament game but more changes have already taken place in the Eastern Conference.

As teams like the Boston Celtics continue to add to their ranks, and the Miami Heat keeps their name in the running for the next star that comes available – namely Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers – the Bulls the risk of falling even further behind the pack than they did this past season when they banked on continuity which was already a risky proposition.

Bulls Doubled-Down on Last Season

The Bulls won six fewer games and missed the playoffs entirely one season after snapping their five-year postseason drought.

Banking on continuity last offseason included quietly giving contract extensions to Karnisovas, head coach Billy Donovan, and many others in the front office on top of holding onto their top three players, DeRozan, LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic.

Karnisovas has not said who he was looking to trade away or for. But he has said that there were no deals to his liking when previously asked.

And, for the second exit interview in a row, he vowed to continue to “look at everything”.

This has seemingly included gauging the trade value of DeRozan and LaVine, even amid reports they are working with Vucevic on a new contract that could come in around $65 million over three years.

But Karnisovas has maintained a high asking price on pieces like LaVine, 28, who just signed a five-year, $215 million contract last offseason.

“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” wrote Johnson in an article from June 19. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the expected return on a trade for DeRozan, 33, would be lower as he heads into the final year of his contract and the twilight of his career.

Bulls Staring Down Luxury Tax

The Bulls currently sit roughly $18.6 million below the salary cap and $47 million below the luxury tax line, per Spotrac. A new deal for Vucevic would eat up the cap space rather quickly, and then some if he does not give them a team-friendly discount.

They still need to add three-point shooting, a playmaking point guard, and frontcourt depth.

With the full nontaxpayers midlevel exception ($12.4 million) potentially at their disposal, and the bi-annual exception ($4.5 million), they have options. But the final say ultimately lies with ownership and, despite a reputation that suggests they let the front office do its job, skepticism remains about just how aggressive Karnisovas can be in addressing this team’s flaws.

The Chicago Bulls’ second attempt at continuity could be in jeopardy.

“Chicago Bulls forward Derrick Jones Jr. is declining his $3.3 million player option for the 2023-24 season and entering unrestricted free agency,” tweeted NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium on June 21 citing sources with knowledge of the developing situation.

Jones did leave the slightest crack that he could choose not to pick up his options during an interview with NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson from April 18.

“I’m locked in for two years. I didn’t sign for two years for no reason. So I’m here for two years,” Jones told Johnson. “I just gotta sit down with my agent and talk to him, figure things out. But I don’t see why not. I got no other plans, yet.”

Jones, 26, averaged 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds this past season, his second with the Bulls.

He made a career-high 64 appearances while shooting 33.8% from deep – also a career-high – this past season. But Jones also saw about three fewer minutes per game compared to last season as Bulls head coach Billy Donovan often chose between him and Andre Drummond at center behind starter Nikola Vucevic depending on the matchup.

Drummond has also said that he would be picking up his option – also worth $3-plus million – but nothing has been made official just yet.

Derrick Jones Jr.’s Decision Helps Bulls’ Books

The day also brought with it news that the salary cap and luxury tax threshold for the 2023-24 season would both be higher than previously estimated with bumps of $2 million and $3 million, respectively. Even with that, the Bulls would have had to thread the needle of bringing back all of their key contributors and avoiding the luxury tax.

This does give them a little more wiggle room to work with.

Chicago currently has roughly $118 million in active payroll on the books for next season after Jones’ decision which could allow them to bring back most if not all of their remaining free agents while still ducking the luxury tax.

The one potential downside is Jones’ was one of the few contracts on the Bulls’ payroll that could be included in a trade to close any potential small salary-matching gap.

Chicago’s payroll is top-heavy which is why they have considered drastic measures.

Bulls Gauging Value of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine

While the Bulls have begun contract negotiations with Vucevic, they have been gauging the value of their two other All-Star players in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine whose on-court fit has belied what both insist is a tight friendship off the court. The Bulls previously held trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks regarding LaVine, 28, at this year’s trade deadline.

Nothing came to fruition but Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that those talks were more so “tabled” rather than there being a concrete conclusion.

DeRozan, 33, has not been mentioned as much but is heading into the final year of his contract.

Chicago is more committed to LaVine financially, and their valuation of him has reflected that. DeRozan’s value on and off the court could make him more of an asset to the Bulls than in a trade putting the Bulls’ ability to keep both, add what’s needed, and avoid the tax in focus.

The Chicago Bulls have not stopped at simply gauging the trade value for two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, perhaps signaling that their conversations have truly been exploratory.

“There has been growing momentum that [Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas] Karnisovas has been continuing to gauge the value a LaVine or [DeMar] DeRozan would get on the market,” wrote Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times on June 21.

This matches reports from NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson regarding LaVine.

“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” wrote Johnson on June 19. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”

There has not been as much rumbling about DeRozan, 33, as he heads into the final year of his three-year, $81.9 million contract. DeRozan has been consistent on the floor and a helpful guide for the younger players but the Bulls’ situation and price tag on LaVine could force their hand on the six-time All-Star.

Per Cowley, the Bulls are trying to get into the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft with their first-round pick (No. 11 overall) going to the Orlando Magic to finalize previous debts.

Karnisovas, coming off a 40-42 season, has suggested he wants to run back the same group.

But the Bulls would surpass the luxury tax if they follow through on that plan and they have only paid the tax once before. Their activity in recent days has suggested that an insider’s inkling as relayed by Sam Smith of Bulls.com may be spot on.

Bulls Might Be Ready to Change Directions

“I…heard from an insider that he believes the Bulls are done with this Big Three,” Smith wrote in the May 19 edition of his mailbag.

LaVine, 28, is signed through the 2025-26 season on a five-year, $215 million contract he signed just last offseason after his highly-anticipated venture into unrestricted free agency resulted in a swift resolution. The former Minnesota Timberwolves star took zero visits to other cities to hear pitches.

Johnson previously reported that the trade rumors have irritated LaVine.

The Bulls held talks with the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks at this year’s trade deadline and Cowley suggests the Bulls could get at least one of those teams back on the phone this summer.

“When the [New York] Knicks and Bulls did have those discussions in February, they didn’t officially conclude as much as they were tabled,” Cowley writes.

Bulls Books Blocking Further Buildout

The NBA’s salary cap will be $136 million with the luxury tax line set at $165 million. Chicago currently sits less than $14 million below the 2023-24 salary cap and $43 million below the luxury tax threshold, per Spotrac.

A new deal contract for Nikola Vucevic could come in somewhere around $65 million over three years, as Cowley reported rival executives believe.

That would eat up their cap space and leave precious little wiggle room under the tax.

Three-point shooting and a point guard are atop the list of needs, both of which are heavily impacted by the absence of Lonzo Ball for what will be the second consecutive season as he continues to recover from knee surgery. And, with his NBA future very much up in the air, the Bulls could be operating as a team with $20.4 million in dead salary cap this season.

That is Ball’s 2023-24 salary in the third year of a four-year, $80 million contract, and the injured point guard has a $21.4 million player option for next season.

The Chicago Bulls could be in need of a new starting center and their timing might be just right to land one for now and the foreseeable future.

“Deandre Ayton and the [Phoenix] Suns are no longer a good fit,” wrote Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report on June 19 in an article identifying the ‘best’ landing spots for potential trade candidates around the league. “Teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers could use an upgrade at center. Add the Chicago Bulls to this list if Nikola Vučević leaves in free agency.”

Vucevic is expected to return next season with the two sides negotiating terms on a new deal.

Chicago is aiming for a three-year pact, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, while rival executives expect the deal to come in around $65 million, per a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Vucevic has said the Bulls will have priority in contract negotiations but has also said that he would explore his options as an unrestricted free agent.

Ayton offers a more-than-intriguing potential option if the negotiations stall.

Ayton, 24, could offer the Bulls a chance to land their next building block at best or a more suitable running mate for Zach LaVine long-term.

He averaged 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists this past season and has averaged a double-double every year he’s been in the NBA. When he’s locked in, Ayton can look like one of the best young players in the league but his focus and effort have been issues in Phoenix.

Deandre Ayton’s Reputation Precedes Him

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton was selected ahead of Mavericks star Luka Docic and Blazers’ youngster Anfernee Simons but could soon be partnered with the former or traded for the latter. That is unless the Bulls decide to change directions amid an opportunity that might not have been available before Phoenix landed Beal.

Ayton and former Suns head coach Monty Williams did not see eye-to-eye.

“Monty didn’t want him,” reported Arizona Sports 97.8 FM’s John Gambadoro on the ‘HoopsHype Podcast’ on June 19. “He wanted them to trade him to Indiana for Myles Turner. He didn’t like coaching Ayton.”

Like Williams, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is known to be a “player’s coach”. Also like Williams, however, Donovan’s rotations have been the subject of some scrutiny. And, while Ayton would be the most talented big the Bulls have had in quite some time, his inconsistent effort might not sit well with Donovan.

Donovan benched LaVine from a game against the Orlando Magic in November and stood by his decision even amid some public disagreement from the Bulls’ franchise cornerstone.

Billy Donovan Holds Stars Accountable

“I’m one of the best players on the court regardless of who’s playing,” LaVine said after the game, via Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “I think that I should be on the court in crunch time, and that’s just the mentality I have.”

The two sides appeared to have patched things up shortly thereafter, and certainly by season’s end amid LaVine and the Bulls’ respective late-season surges.

But the situation could have devolved quickly just as Ayton’s seemingly has.

It’s fair to wonder if investing in a player who has already shown a tendency to check out of possessions mentally is worth bringing into a situation where more will be expected of him and the scrutiny will be much more intense. Knowing how Vucevic fits in alongside LaVine and DeMar DeRozan – even if it has been less than stellar – likely goes far with this front office.

The Chicago Bulls have moved very much like a team pushing continuity again but that may just be their message to the public.

“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” wrote NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson on June 19. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”

First got word that the Bulls were “quietly gauging” the interest in LaVine came from Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer who added that they were likely looking for a package that exceeded what the Washington Wizards got from the Phoenix Suns for Bradley Beal.

Johnson’s report certainly tracks with that, though he notes this could all be exploratory.

The Suns sent Chris Paul and Landry Shamet to the Wizards along with multiple second-round picks and pick swaps for Beal.

LaVine, 28, is nearly two years younger and will cost nearly $30 million less over the next four years. He is also the last remaining piece from the Bulls’ trade sending out Jimmy Butler, now of the Miami Heat, a distinction that can only carry so far for the organization given a new front office is in charge than the one that acquired him.

He is one of just two players on the roster from the previous group.

Zach LaVine a Rarity on the Bulls’ Roster

The other is former No. 7 overall pick Coby White, a restricted free agent who has gone from on the trading block to potentially being the Bulls’ starting point guard going into next season. His connection with LaVine could even be a reason to keep him in the building.

Chicago posted a plus-1.2 net rating with White on the floor this past season, ranking in the 60th percentile, per Cleaning The Glass.

They had a plus-24.2 net rating when he was slotted in alongside LaVine, Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic which was good enough to rank in the 94th percentile. The only qualifying lineup (minimum of 100 non-garbage time possessions) including White that had a better net rating had Patrick Beverley in Caruso’s place.

Beverley has said that it is “likely” he plays elsewhere next season, and Lonzo Ball is set to miss his second consecutive season due to a knee injury. A LaVine trade could have a ripple effect on White’s future.

Bulls Possibly Picking a Timeline

Trading LaVine would seem to indicate the Bulls are considering blowing up the roster or even taking given they will have full control of their first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. But, rather than a complete teardown, they could be looking to replenish their assets while keeping the younger players in a competitive environment.

Players like White, fellow guard Ayo Dosunu, and even Patrick Williams figure to see an uptick in opportunity without LaVine in the lineup.

The Bulls did post a better rating with the LaVine off the floor (plus-2.5) than on (plus-0.8).

LaVine is an elite scorer on a roster that also features two other high-level scorers, and none of them are particularly adept defensively. Chicago is going to be flirting with paying into the luxury tax, which owner Jerry Reinsdorf has never done so changes could be looming.

The Chicago Bulls are set to keep one of their own, according to sources around the league.

“The belief among various NBA executives…is that Nikola Vucevic, one of the top free agents on the market, will re-sign with the Chicago Bulls,” wrote Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on June 18. “Vucevic’s projected free agency value, according to those executives, is three years in the $65 million range.”

Vucevic and Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas have both expressed a desire to strike a new deal and recently began holding discussions.

The Bulls want to ink the former two-time All-Star (2018-19, 2020-21) to a three-year pact, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. And NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson speculated that “three years, $66 to 72 million” would be within the range of a “reasonable” deal.

Vucevic, Scotto notes, cost plenty to acquire including Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner (as the No. 8 overall pick in 2021), and the No. 11 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft (as a future pick).

“Letting Vucevic walk in free agency would be tough from an optics perspective,” Scotto adds.

Karnisovas has practiced patience since sending out the assets for Vucevic and more to bring in DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball, the latter of whom is on pace to miss his second consecutive full season with a knee injury. The Bulls have only added Patrick Beverley, Goran Dragic, Andre Drummond, and Tristan Thompson as proven additions in the last two transaction windows.

But it’s not just optics driving Karnisovas’ decision-making.

Nikola Vucevic’s Value is in His Durability and Versatility

“One of the more durable centers… he has played three straight seasons of 70-plus games, including 82 this year,” wrote ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks. “His 225 games played ranks eighth among all centers. Vucevic had a career-high 57.6% effective field goal percentage and averaged at least 10 rebounds for a fifth straight season.”

He has also been productive ranking third in double-doubles this past season, averaging 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 2022-23.

The polarizing big man also shot 52% from the floor and a hair under 35% from beyond the arc.

“He’ll be one of the top centers on the marketplace,” reported The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania on ‘Around the Association’ on May 30. “He’s had to adjust his role a little bit…He’s obviously going to be pretty sought after on the open marketplace.”

That value is certainly not lost on the Bulls who would be left with few avenues toward improvement should he walk.

“We’ll see what happens when the time comes to discuss a new contract,” Vucevic told Scotto on February 9. “I feel good here. I’m in a good place. If they want to continue, we can come to an agreement. I’d consider it for sure, but also, being a free agent, I’ll have opportunities to look at other stuff.”

Bulls Center Rotation Potentially Locked In

If things continue to progress with Vucevic at this current rate, the Bulls could have their starting center and his top backup locked in for the 2023-24 season after Drummond said he plans on picking up his $3.4 million player option.

“That’s what my plan is,” Drummond said on the ‘Paper Route’ podcast on June 6. “I think, where I’m at now today and how I feel, I really love being in Chicago.”

This frees Karnsiovas up to focus on other needs like a point guard and three-point shooting.

The Chicago Bulls’ offseason plans may be taking shape.

With limited funds, the Bulls are fortunate they don’t have too many decisions to make on free agents, though the ones they do have to make are critical. One of those questions is at point guard where, for the second offseason in a row, the Bulls have questions with Lonzo Ball shelved for the foreseeable future.

Guard Ayo Dosunmu opened last season as the starter and was working off the bench by the end of the season but could get another shot to prove himself.

“Dosunmu is a restricted free agent who has limited market value after a backsliding season,” wrote Sam Smith of Bulls.com on June 16. “But he’s well-liked by the coaching staff and management and expected to receive a reasonable contract for two or three seasons.”

The Bulls selected Dosunmu No. 38 overall with their only selection of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Dosunmu impressed as a rookie with his hardnosed defense, ability to get to the rim, and run an NBA offense – he averaged 3.3 assists to 1.4 turnovers with 8.8 points and 2.8 rebounds. He was also durable on a team that dealt with myriad injuries, leading the team with 77 appearances and starting 40 games mostly in place of Ball.

Ayo Dosunmu Working Toward Bounceback Season

This past season was a different story as Dosunmu averaged a similar 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists to 1.2 turnovers.

But his three-point efficiency fell with Dosunmu connecting on just 31.2% of his deep looks after knocking down 37.6% of his threes as his rookie. He shot 30.4% from outside as a starter and 33.3% when coming off the bench this past season.

He has also shared video clips of himself working on various shooting drills this offseason.

One anonymous executive told Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney the Bulls could wait it out with Dosunmu and White in restricted free agency.

“A lot of their situation depends on what happens with Nikola Vucevic and then Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White,” the exec told Heavy Sports. “Those (last) two guys are restricted, and maybe Chicago plays hardball with them.”

The cash-strapped Bulls have already begun contract talks with Vucevic and are said to be “all in” on bringing back White which would seemingly leave Dosunmu on the outside looking in; a drastic change to his stock from last offseason. But, if Smith’s speculation tracks, the Bulls could be looking at bringing all of the major contributors from this past season into next season.

Bulls Finances Come Into Focus

The Bulls are $39.7 million below the luxury tax line but deals for Vucevic – which NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson speculated could be worth $22 to $25 million annually would take them right past that.

Chicago has only paid the luxury tax once in franchise history.

That has long been viewed as the thing holding them back the most, though ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan reports that they are willing to go into the tax for the “right opportunity”.

Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has said for two years running that he will explore all options to improve the team over the offseason. It will be hard to do that and avoid the luxury tax so the Bulls’ bluff could be called either way.

The speculation around Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine has reached a fever pitch.

“Zach LaVine for Kawhi Leonard,” proposed The Ringer’s Bill Simmons on ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast’ on June 15. “I have them right next to each other in trade value. Kawhi to Chicago? [He] doesn’t like cold weather.”

Bulls get:

– Kawhi Leonard

Clippers get:

– Zach LaVine

“I think the [Los Angeles] Clippers are good,” Simmons said. “I think they’re f****** done with the Kawhi roller coaster and just not knowing stuff and being in the dark.”

Leonard, 31 averaged 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists this past season while shooting 51.2% from the floor, 41.6% from beyond the arc, and 87.1% from the free throw line – a line which has only been replicated five other times in NBA history, per Stathead. A noted defensive ace, Leonard also averaged 1.4 steals per game.

He averaged 31 points on nearly 52% shooting from the floor over his final six games.

One of the best players in the league when he’s healthy, is one of the rare players whose playoff scoring stats are higher than his numbers in the regular season where he has become the poster child for load management.

Kawhi Leonard’s Injury History Has Hindered Clippers

Leonard has made no more than 57 appearances in any season since 2018-19 when he led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title in franchise history. That includes just 52 appearances this past regular season and a torn meniscus suffered in the Clippers’ first-round series against the Phoenix Suns that caused him to miss their final three games of the series.

Los Angeles is set to foot the second-largest luxury tax bill in the league, per Spotrac, right behind the Golden State Warriors, with over $174 million due in additional payments on top of the second-highest payroll in the league.

The difference between the two rosters is an obvious and critical one: Golden State was able to justify such an exorbitant bill because that lofty spending has yielded four titles.

L.A. has made the Western Conference Finals once in Leonard’s tenure and missed the postseason entirely in 2021-22 when he missed the entire season with a torn ACL. And, as Simmons’ co-host Joe House noted, he also pushed for them to trade Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a handful of draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Paul George in 2019-20.

George, 33, has made no more than the 56 appearances he did this past season since arriving.

Los Angeles is 110-51 when Leonard plays (33-19 in 2023-23), per Statmuse. That is a .683 winning percentage, and it could be the biggest driving factor if the Bulls truly wanted to overlook such an extended track record of availability.

He is heading into the third year of a four-year, $176.2 million contract and has a $48.8 million player option for the 2024-25 campaign.

As of last season, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was America’s richest sports owner, per Axios.

Paying Leonard, an L.A. native, might not be as much of an issue as the new CBA‘s looming punitive measures against those teams who do spend.

Zach LaVine’s Injury History Overblown

LaVine, 28, missed four of the Bulls’ first 11 contests this past season following an arthroscopic procedure during the offseason. He missed just one more contest the rest of the way – the Bulls’ penultimate game of the regular season, a win over the Dallas Mavericks on April 7.

He was solid after that – 25.3 points, 37% 3P – but struggled in his final two regular-season appearances and in the Bulls’ Play-In Tournament loss to the Miami Heat. LaVine has made no fewer than 58 appearances since that injury-shorted 2017-18 season including setting a new high for his Bulls career with 77 appearances in 2022-23 and is three years younger than Leonard.

The issue for Simmons and House was Lavine’s record with the Bulls.

LaVine — who lives in L.A. in the offseason — is 146-203 (.418) in six seasons with the Bulls and has only played in four playoff games in his nine-year career. He was injured to begin his career in Chicago, missing the first 42 games of the 2017-18 season.

They are still just 137-188 (.421) with him since his first fully healthy season with some rebuilding teams along the way. The Bulls are 101-101 (.500) with LaVine – who signed a five-year, $215 million contract last offseason – since 2020-21. That has not stopped the Bulls from gauging his trade value which they also did at the trade deadline.

Are the Bulls willing to trade the few additional years of LaVine and risk another star with knee issues for the chance at a higher ceiling now and, perhaps, a salary cap reset after 2024-25?

News of the Chicago Bulls actively shopping Zach LaVine caused quite a stir but one insider believes they may be getting back less-than-tantalizing responses.

“I don’t know who’s trading for that contract,” said The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor on ‘The Mismatch’ podcast on June 16. “He’s making $40 million coming season. He’ll be making $49 million ‘26-’27 when he’s 31 years old.”

LaVine, 28, admittedly started the season slow after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his knee that prevented him from doing his usual offseason routine. But he ranked 17th in the NBA after the calendar tuned to 2023, per NBA.com, averaging 26.4 points on 62.7% true shooting while knocking down 37.0% of his looks from beyond the arc.

He also averaged 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists (to 2.6 turnovers) in that span.

“Until training camp, I didn’t pick up a basketball,” LaVine said, per NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson in December.

“By the way, he’s also got a 15% trade kicker in the deal too,” O’Connor noted. “I just don’t know who’s going to make a move for that deal.”

The Bulls won six fewer games this past season than in 2021-22 as they dealt with inconsistency and an unconventional dynamic on the floor between LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, both of whom insist they are still good and committed to making the partnership work.

“I think everybody goes through ups and downs, just like every team does,” LaVine said of the reported friction in the locker room in December. “Obviously if we’re not winning games, not everybody’s going to be happy. It’s not going to look as good as it was before. It’s all glitter and show when you’re winning games.”

If the interest in LaVine is anything like the rumor mill, there will be plenty of suitors.

Bulls Shopped Zach LaVine at Trade Deadline

After an offseason of speculation regarding LaVine’s free agency, he re-signed on a five-year, $215 million contract without taking another visit. The Bulls were said to have taken calls on the two-time All-Star at the deadline with at least the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

Those constant rumors are said to have gotten under the supremely confident LaVine’s skin which could be an impetus behind trying to find him a new home.

“Several rival executives…at the combine are skeptical about the long-term marriage between Zach LaVine and the Bulls,” Johnson wrote on May 25 from the 2023 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. “LaVine, who has been loyal to the Bulls, has grown tired of consistently landing in trade rumors.”

Johnson noted that the rumors about the Knicks were “overblown” but did not mention the Nets.

LaVine’s contract is the richest in Bulls franchise history. Any shift away from him will be a massive change in direction regardless of what happens with the rest of the pieces on the roster where there remains just as much uncertainty.

Zach LaVine’s Prime Working Against Bulls

LaVine is ready to win now but the Bulls are not, and the gap between them and a title contender like the Miami Heat could be much further than their 14-9 finish to the regular season or their close Play-In Tournament loss to the Heat may have led them to believe. That’s why LaVine may be their best path toward building up to that contender’s status.

DeRozan, 33, is heading into the final year of a three-year, $81.9 million contract. Teams aren’t typically chomping at the bit to trade for an aging star they will have to pay after one year.

Center Nikola Vucevic, 32, is an unrestricted free agent, though talks for a new deal have begun.

If the two sides strike a new deal, the only way the Bulls could trade him before next season would be to pull off a sign-and-trade. But the market for aging, offense-only big men is also not as lustrous as it would be for an uber-athletic, elite-level scorer like LaVine.

Meanwhile, DeRozan and Vucevic might be more valuable as stewards for the next generation of Bulls players than co-stars alongside LaVine.

The Bulls’ trio played together more than any other trio and had a net rating of minus-0.4.

Zach LaVine and Jimmy Butler together on the same team?

It would be a nightmare scenario for Chicago Bulls fans, but recent reports surrounding both the Bulls and the Miami Heat have made it a possibility.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports reported on June 15 that the Bulls “have started contacting teams, quietly gauging the trade interest in” LaVine, a two-time All-Star and the team’s leading scorer. As it happens, the Heat are in the market for a star player who can score.

“They’re going to explore seeing what the star market is out there,” NBA insider Shams Charania said about the Heat on FanDuel TV on June 13. “There’s been some level of understanding that (the Heat are) trying to get Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo just another piece that can take the load off, especially during the regular season.”

Count Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation Bulls among those who thinks the two teams could at least have a conversation.

Heat & Bulls Might at Least Have a Convo About LaVine

“There is no denying they are in a good position to attract stars yet again after making two Finals appearances in four seasons. Not to mention, they currently have the kind of assets needed to make a deal work,” Schuster wrote about the Heat on June 13. “If the Bulls were to enter sell mode this offseason, I have to imagine the two parties have at least one conversation. And I think we all know around whom that conversation would center.”

Two days later, the Bulls are reported to have gone into sell mode. Just the thought of sending LaVine to South Beach has to make many Bulls fans cringe.

In 2017, the Minnesota Timberwolves sent LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick — a pick that turned into budding star Lauri Markkanen, who the Bulls also later traded away — to Chicago in exchange for Butler and the No. 16 selection that year.

“LaVine would give the Miami Heat the kind of reliable secondary scorer it surely needs,” Schuster added. “He would provide the spacing and shooting necessary to give Butler the room he needs to work, as well as the active off-ball presence that could slide in well around a solid playmaker in Adebayo.”

So, what might the Bulls get in return for LaVine, who is due over $40 million per year each of the next three seasons?

Tyler Herro, Draft Picks Miami’s Likely Comp

Charania also discussed Miami’s potential trade chips, led by shooting guard Tyler Herro. “Tyler Herro. They have three first round draft picks. That would be the base of the type of package that you’d need to go get a superstar player,” he said.

The 28-year-old LaVine averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 77 games last season (stats via ESPN).

Herro, who is only 23, averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 67 games. He missed the postseason after breaking his hand, but he’s coming off back-to-back 20-point seasons and he has shown a good deal of potential. Miami could also add sharpshooting forward Duncan Robinson to any potential trade package.

Still, Schuster admitted LaVine-to-Miami probably won’t happen.

“My best guess would be that Chicago tries to speak with several other candidates first if a big splash is on their minds,” Schuster noted. “Top teams in this year’s lottery like the Hornets (No. 2) and Trail Blazers (No. 3) should undoubtedly be at the top of their wishlist.”

That’s true, but it’s equally true the Bulls, who don’t have a first-round pick this year, could use some draft capital. Schuster also noted there has been smoke surrounding the Heat and LaVine before. Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype wrote in early January of 2023 that some NBA executives thought the Heat would have interest in trading for the Bulls star.

Stay tuned, Bulls fans. It could be an eventful summer, and it’s just getting started.

Ascending Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is off limits in any hypothetical Zach LaVine trade talks according to PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck — who feels that the only way the Sixers would land LaVine is via a bargain bin deal; ultimately making Neubeck skeptical about the viability of such a trade on Philadelphia’s end.

“On the Sixers’ end, I think (a LaVine trade) only really makes sense if they’re getting a bargain basement price and holding onto Tyrese Maxey in the process,” Neubeck prefaced before saying, “Even if they can’t, I’m not exactly convinced that bringing on talented players on awful contracts is the way to right this ship.”

The Chicago Bulls are on the hook for the four seasons remaining on his five-year, $215 million contract, and could desire Tobias Harris’ expiring contract. What then becomes the critical question is whether or not the Bulls would be willing to give up their two-time All-Star for what would amount to a salary dump. Doing so would signal a firesale that’d likely require Chicago to trade off pieces like DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso as well, while potentially passing up on re-signing former Sixers big man Nikola Vucevic.

Sixers Ideal No. 1 Offseason is Bringing Back James Harden

Neubeck believes the Sixers bringing back James Harden would be the “ideal” No. 1 offseason and believes that until a decision is made by “The Beard” either way, any trade rumor is merely “discussion fodder.”

“Let it be said for perhaps the 25th time already this offseason — Philadelphia’s ideal No. 1 offseason is bringing Harden back on a team-friendly contract, and that has been their focus,” Neubeck prefaced before saying, “Until or unless that possibility is ruled out, all of these fantasy team type trades are just that, and this is just discussion fodder.”

As Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reports, the Sixers’ focus is indeed to bring Harden back this offseason; but to a short-term deal that avoids what the Washington Wizards are currently facing with Bradley Beal’s contract.

“Philadelphia has made it clear the Sixers are focused on re-signing Harden, who has until June 29 to decline a $35 million player option for next year,” Fischer wrote. “Similar to last summer, it appears that Philadelphia would prefer to sign Harden to a shorter-term agreement, one that still provides a lucrative payday for the 10-time All-Star but doesn’t present the Sixers with the possible predicament that Washington currently faces with Beal’s long-term salary.”

Zach LaVine Would Be ‘Powerful’ Joel Embiid Complement

Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation believes LaVine would make for a good complement to Embiid and thinks the Sixers would do well to engage the Bulls in trade talks.

“Not only could (LaVine) provide the MVP with some secondary scoring assistance, but he’d give Philly a powerful perimeter scoring game to pair with (Joel) Embiid’s interior dominance,” Schuster wrote in a June 6 opinion piece. “It’s not hard to see a world where these two lead one of the more efficient and explosive offenses in the NBA.”

Neubeck thinks the opposite; that LaVine would be a poor fit due to his lack of defensive tenacity and score-first mentality.

“(LaVine) has real issues that would be amplified here in Philadelphia, namely that he is lost at sea on defense a lot of the time and slots in only as a secondary playmaker,” Neubeck prefaced before saying, “Combining multiple half-creators into one full option isn’t the sort of thing that tends to win basketball games.”

I t’s no secret the Chicago Bulls could use a solid starting point guard.

The Bulls added veteran Patrick Beverley via the buyout market in February, but he’s a free agent and will likely land elsewhere. He’s also nearly 35. They also have Ayo Dosunmu, who is going into his third-year.

Dosunmu has started 91 games over his two seasons in the NBA and has averaged 8.7 points, 2.9 assists and 2.8 rebounds in just over 26 minutes a game. If the Bulls thought he was the answer, they likely wouldn’t have added Beverley and started the veteran over the 23-year-old Dosunmu.

The team’s “Big 3,” veteran forward DeMar DeRozan, shooting guard Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic — the latter of whom the team plans to re-sign — have been the subject of trade speculation for months. But John Hollinger of The Athletic thinks the Bulls could keep the Big 3 intact while also adding Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet, who is about to hit free agency.

VanVleet for Patrick Williams & Lonzo Ball?

As first reported by ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski, VanVleet, 29, declined his $22.82 million player option and will be an unrestricted free agent in July. Hollinger thinks a sign-and-trade between Toronto and Chicago, while highly unlikely, is a remote possibility. Here’s why.

“VanVleet is from nearby Rockford, Ill. Even if the Bulls are not a real contender, that could factor into VanVleet’s decision-making,” Hollinger wrote on June 13. “Whether or not Chicago would make Patrick Williams available here is probably the key for any potential deal, but again, the fit makes sense.”

The Bulls might be willing to move Williams if it meant getting VanVleet in return. Williams is young (he turns 22 this summer) and he scored a career-high 10.2 points a game this past season. He was also one of 10 players in the league to play in all 82 games, so he’s bound to gauge the interest of some teams.

“A VanVleet sign-and-trade for the Bulls seems pretty unlikely, but let’s play along,” Hollinger wrote. “The only future draft pick Chicago can include is a 2024 top-14 protected first from Portland that may not convey for a few years, so the centerpiece of any deal would likely be forward Patrick Williams. On the flip side, the Bulls would need Toronto to take Lonzo Balls’ contract that pays $42 million over the next two years, with a near-zero expectation that he ever plays for the Raptors.”

Record scratch. That last bit about Toronto taking on $42 million for Ball, a player whose NBA future is in question, seems like the longest of long shots. Still, a sign-and-trade is a decent possibility for FVV.

Money Could Limit the Bulls

“Whether that package is even remotely enticing largely depends on how you feel about Williams; for the Bulls, they would need to use their non-taxpayer MLE to sign a starting 4 to replace him,” Hollinger added. “Other tweaks and additions might flow from there — could Toronto use Coby White? Could the Bulls use Chris Boucher? Will VanVleet’s price be high enough that the Bulls have to put in another small contract, such as Derrick Jones, Jr.? — but the core of the deal would have to be Ball, Williams and the Portland pick for VanVleet.”

An All-Star a season ago after scoring 20.3 points and dishing out 6.7 assists per game, VanVleet started 69 games last season and averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and a career-high 7.2 assists. He was also third in the NBA in steals last season (1.8 per game). There’s no doubt he’d be a welcome addition to Chicago’s backcourt, but the Bulls would only be able to afford him if they moved Ball’s contract, as VanVleet also won’t come cheap.

Spotrac has him projected to sign a new deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $28.56 million, and the Bulls are currently over the league’s salary cap by $56 million. Shedding Williams’ $10 million deal and Ball’s $40 million contract would free up plenty of room, to be sure, but the issue is getting any takers for Ball, who has had three surgeries on his knee since the start of 2022.

If the Bulls can move on from Ball, they absolutely should, but it’s hard to see any team taking on the remainder of his deal.

The Chicago Bulls could be looking to make a significant pivot.

Their messaging this offseason has been about trying to bring everyone back but Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that they are looking into moving one of their stars.

“The Chicago Bulls…have started contacting teams, quietly gauging the trade interest in Zach LaVine,” Fischer wrote on June 15. “It remains to be seen just how willing Chicago is to part ways with LaVine, or if it receives a commensurate offer for his services.”

LaVine, a back-to-back All-Star the previous two seasons, started the 2022-23 campaign slowly coming off of an arthroscopic procedure last offseason. But he finished the year putting up his typical All-Star-caliber numbers averaging 26.3 points on 50.5% shooting overall and 38.3 % of his looks from beyond the arc over his final 53 regular season appearances.

He is heading into the second year of a five-year, $215 million max contract.

“Multiple teams have indicated the Bulls are holding a steep valuation for LaVine,” added Fischer. “One that’s likely to exceed what Washington can ultimately net for [Bradley] Beal.”

This marks the second consecutive transaction window that LaVine had been rumored on the trading block. Chicago was said to have held at least cursory discussions with both the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks.

The Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers have all also been linked to LaVine in previous trade rumors.

New Rumors Might Not Sit Well With Zach LaVine

LaVine has grown “tired” of the constant trade rumors, per NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson on May 25, perhaps because he did not so much as take a visit with another team as one of the top free agents on the market last offseason. He’s also clashed with head coach Billy Donovan who benched LaVine after the latter’s poor performance in a loss to the Orlando Magic.

The on-cour fit between LaVine and teammate DeMar DeRozan has also come with turbulence.

But he and DeRozan have remained friends and insist their on-court partnership can be a winning one.

Still, the Bulls could view LaVine as being in between their two timelines with their roster currently constructed as it is.

DeRozan, 33, is heading into the final year of a three-year, $81.9 million contract while center Nikola Vucevic is an unrestricted free agent, though talks on a new deal have already begun with the 32-year-old pivot.

Those two are likely to bring back the kind of value LaVine could in a trade with the rest of the Bulls’ roster either unproven or possessing a limited ceiling. Trading LaVine could be the Bulls’ best path toward replenishing their young talent and war chest of draft picks that were depleted putting this roster together.

Fischer’s notes on Beal and the Bulls’ valuation of LaVine could be the keys, however.

Beal is going into the second year of a five-year, $251 million contract with a $57.1 million player option in the final season.

The Bulls could be assessing LaVine’s value amid news that Beal and the Washington Wizards could work together on a trade if they rebuild, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. LaVine, 28, is nearly two full years younger and will cost nearly $30 million less over the next four years.

Patrick Beverley: Zach LaVine is an ‘NBA 2K Created Player’

During an interview with Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns on the ‘Pat Bev Podcast with Rone’ on June 14, Bulls’ free agent Patrick Beverley compared LaVine to the popular ‘NBA 2K’ video game.

“That m***********’s cold.,” Beverley said. “He’s a real NBA 2K created player,” Beverley told Towns.

Towns called LaVine “one of the best scorers” he’s “ever seen”.

Beverley has been a big proponent of LaVine’s since arriving and even pointed to his arrival for a post-All-Star break surge for the former No. 13 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. Trading LaVine would be a massive change of direction for the franchise even if they hold onto DeRozan – who has been great with the younger players – and Vucevic.

It did not take much prompting from Chicago Bulls free agent Patrick Beverley to get Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns talking about Zach LaVine. And the three-time All-Star was effusive in his praise.

“I played with Zach LaVine,” Beverley told Towns on the ‘Pat Bev Podcast with Rone’ on June 14. “You played with Zach LaVine. That m***********’s cold.”

From there, it was a lot of Towns sounding like Beverley when he first signed with the Bulls.

“What? He’s one of the best scorers I’ve ever seen in my life. And I’m a scorer,” an animated Towns said. “I’m a scorer and I’ve never seen some of the s*** that he do. And he got no feelings for pressure or nothing. It’s just straight bucket work…His three ball’s so pure. He worked so hard on his game.”

A December 18 blowout loss for the Bulls against the Timberwolves serves as a good split for the two-time All-Star, LaVine.

LaVine averaged 21.8 points while shooting 44.1% overall and 36.0% from deep over his first 24 appearances of the season, missing four games as he worked his way back into shape from arthroscopic surgery over the offseason.

He averaged 26.2 points, shot 50.5% from the floor, and hit 38.3% of his threes from then on.

“He’s a real NBA 2K created player,” Beverley said.

“You be forgetting he tore his ACL,” said Towns. “The way he be moving, and the way he be working out, you don’t be thinking he needs to take it easy. And he grinds – I worked out with him in Seattle with his pops. Man, that man was running football fields. I was like, ‘No’. He was doing the Tim Hardaway joints. He cold.”

Asked what the “Tim Hardaway” joints were, Towns explained the cardio workout familiar to all athletes across all sports.

Beverley said the same things when he first arrived and urged LaVine to focus on scoring.

“I seen today a couple shots where he kind of hesitated,” Beverley said after joining the team in February via the Bulls YouTube channel. “I told him, your job here is not to pass at all. We don’t need you to pass, we need you to put the ball in the hole at an elite level.”

LaVine has often touted the work he puts in during the offseason as the reason he has so much confidence in his game, even in the face of added scrutiny after signing a five-year, $215 million max contract last offseason. He even signed the deal without taking any other visits in free agency.

The Bulls acquired LaVine from Minnesota in a package for now-Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler on draft night in 2017.

Towns also got into his future in Minnesota.

Proposed Trade Lands Karl-Anthony Towns on Bulls

“I’m gonna keep it simple like this: The rumors are as true or as false as Minnesota makes them to be,” Towns said.

There are conflicting reports about Towns’ future in Minnesota as his cryptic response to the rumors may have led on. If he does come available, the Bulls’ best trade package figures to look something like this:

Bulls get:

– Karl-Anthony Towns

Timberwolves get:

– DeMar DeRozan
– Alex Caruso
– 2024 1st Rd Pick (Lottery protected, via POR)
– 2028 1st Rd Pick
– 2030 1st Rd Pick

Towns, 27, averaged 20.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this past season, shooting 49.5% from the floor and 36.6% from beyond the arc. It was just the 19th time a player has averaged at least 20.0 points, 8.0 boards, and 4.0 assists while shooting 49% from the floor and 36% from three or better in NBA history, per Stathead.

It also came in just 29 games with Towns suffering a calf injury that cost him most of the season.

He is going into the final year of a five-year, $158 million contract but will begin a four-year, $224 million supermax contract after next season.

The Bulls Should Make Another Call to Minnesota

The deal above likely gets outbid by a team with control of their draft picks sooner, though the Bulls could add some swap options. But it would give Minnesota win-now pieces and draft picks for the future, the Bulls a proper co-star for LaVine, and keeps Patrick Williams in town.

DeRozan, 33, is heading into the final year of his contract while Caruso, 29 – who earned his first All-Defensive Team selection this season – will be a free agent after the 2024-25 season.

If Minnesota insists on Williams, Chicago could try to keep Caruso out, and the Bulls are limited in what other contracts they have to make the deal work. But they wouldn’t have to worry about letting Nikola Vucevic walk in free agency if this was agreed to, and it would prolong their window to contend in the Eastern Conference by several years.

If the Chicago Bulls are as unsure about Lonzo Ball’s future as reports have indicated, they need to keep the other half of a once-potent defensive backcourt in the mix.

And while that other half, Alex Caruso, is still under contract, an extension may be in order.

“With the uncertainty surrounding Ball’s health, having Caruso around for a few more years feels crucial,” posed Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report in an article from June 13 outlining a ‘to-do’ list for every team.

Caruso, 29, is coming off his first All-Defensive Team selection, serving as a bright spot for the 40-42 Bulls. A former championship Los Angeles Laker, Caruso is one of the Bulls’ few consistent performers this season and, while he averaged just 5.6 points per game, he posted a career-best 58.8% true shooting.

The 6-foot-5 veteran also had a bounceback season from beyond the arc, knocking down 36.4% of his threes in 2022-23 after shooting just 33.3% in 2021-22.

And his reputation on defense precedes him.

“Given the way he can defend either guard position, Alex Caruso’s sub-$10 million salary is definitely below market,” writes Bailey. “But he still has a small enough offensive role that Chicago might be able to extend him for less than the three years and $53.2 million for which he’s eligible.”

Caruso is heading into the third year of a four-year, $36.9 million contract. He has dealt with injuries including a foot injury this past season. But he also made a career-high 67 appearances in 2022-23.

Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas put a high price tag on Caruso at the trade deadline, perhaps an extension is already something he’s imagined.

Bulls Backcourt Outlook

The Bulls head into this offseason needing to decide on unrestricted free agent Nikola Vucevic and restricted free agent guards Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White, the latter of whom they are said to be “all in” on keeping.

There is some belief the Bulls will have to choose between one of those two guards while talks have already begun with Vucevic regarding a new contract.

If that is how it all plays out, Caruso would complement White’s style well.

The fit next to Dosunmu is a little more clunky as neither would be considered a marksman by any stretch but they would be the defensive element that Caruso and Ball had during the 2020-21 season. Chicago’s issue there is that, even if they bring Dosunmu back, he did not show enough to warrant a starting spot which has to be atop the Bulls’ wishlist this summer.

They can go over the cap to reign their free agents but it is a question of how far they want to go with the luxury tax looming as a boogeyman (when factoring in a new deal for Vucevic and one of Dosunmu and White) over this organization that has only paid into it once in franchise history.

Alex Caruso’ Fit Next to Coby White

The Bulls are expected to bring most if not all of the same group back next season. Patrick Beverley, who signed after the All-Star break, could be among them. But White has already made it known that he still wants to be a starting point guard.

Asked if White had shown enough to earn another shot at winning the job next season, head coach Billy Donovan agreed White is more equipped now than before.

There is reason to believe a Caruso-White backcourt can work.

The Bulls posted a plus-11.7 net rating with those two in the backcourt, ranking in the 97th percentile, and a plus-24.2 net rating (94th percentile) when paired with Chicago’s big three, albeit in just over 100 possessions.

White made tremendous strides in the non-shooting aspects of his game even if that, which was once a strength, became a bit of a liability at times. He still knocked down 37.2% of his threes and also shot a career-best mark from the floor, connecting on 44.3% of his overall looks which were down this season compared to last.

With the 2022-23 season officially in the books, it’s time for the Chicago Bulls to make a decision: will they break up the core of their team and start a rebuild, or will they do what executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas has said they’re going to do, which isn’t much.

“Blow up, rebuild — it’s not on our minds,” Karnisovas said after Chicago’s season ended in the play-in tournament in mid-April, via NBA.com. The Bulls ended a four-year playoff draught in 2022 after finishing with a 46-36 record that season, but they took a step backwards this year, finishing sub .500 with a 40-42 mark while failing to make the playoffs.

The Bulls executive VP did note that it would be a “priority for us to change our shooting profile” this offseason, and it’s likely the Bulls are going to scour the market for a point guard and perhaps a 3-point specialist. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report thinks the Bulls could get both in one player in former Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers starter D’Angelo Russell.

Russell Could Be Available if Lakers Don’t Re-Sign Him

Russell, the second overall pick for L.A. in 2015, has bounced around a bit over his eight seasons in the NBA, also playing for the Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors. Playing for the Timberwolves since 2019, he landed back with the Lakers in a three-team trade this past season that also involved the Utah Jazz.

The 27-year-old guard is in his prime and is coming off a season in which he had career highs in both 2- and 3-point shooting, making 46.9% of his two-pointers while hitting 39.6% of his shots from beyond the arc (stats via Basketball Reference).

He had a poor showing in the postseason, however, and the Lakers may want to move on, as Russell is an unrestricted free agent.

“Russell isn’t a pure floor general, but he’s another talented ball-handler to mix in with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine,” Swartz wrote. “The 27-year-old averaged 17.8 points and 6.2 assists and shot 39.6 percent from three between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers this year. If the Lakers choose to chase Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul or another point guard, Russell could be looking for a new home.”

While with the Lakers, Russell scored 17.7 points, handed out 5.7 assists and netted 3.5 rebounds a game, which is far better than anything the Bulls produced at the position last year.

Swartz also mentioned Miami Heat starter Gabe Vincent or re-signing veteran Patrick Beverley as options for Chicago in free agency, but it’ll likely all come down to money.

Russell Would Be Offensive Upgrade Over Pat Bev

In 22 games (and 22 starts) with the Bulls, Pat Bev put up 5.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 27.5 minutes a game. A Chicago native, Beverley, who was added via the buyout market, enjoyed playing for his hometown team, but his potential price tag may not be worth his services.

Beverley turns 35 in July, and he mentioned on his podcast in April of 2023 that he’d like to get paid around $13 million per year. If that’s what the market is, Chicago may want to take a look at Russell, although the team can’t afford to overpay him, either.

Russell just completed the final year of his four-year $117.3 million contract, and John Hollinger of The Athletic has him projected to make just under $27 million a year when he inks his next one. Well, he would be an office of upgrade over Beverley, his defense isn’t anywhere near as good as Pat Bev’s, so there’s that to consider. The Bulls also won’t want to overpay anyone.

Chicago can’t afford a $27 million a year player without letting some potential returning free agents walk and/or making a few changes. The team has the mid-level exception, which would allow it to add a free agent for around $12 million per year, but the Bulls won’t want to cross the luxury tax threshold, which is set at $162 million.

Per Spotrac, the most the Bulls will likely have to spend after all guaranteed salaries and dead cap from non-guaranteed salaries are deducted will be $15 million.

Thus, players like Russell may be out of reach unless Karnisovas decides to shake it up.

What’s in a name? For Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic, it’s one connection to Denver Nuggets star – and, now NBA Champion and Finals MVP – Nikola Jokic.

“There is something really cool about the name Nikola,” Vucevic tweeted on June 12.

Jokic, 28, averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks during the NBA Finals. His 30.0/13.5/9.5 line in the postseason has only been broached by Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, per Stathead.

With the Nuggets’ win, the Bulls’ future has come into a bit of focus with executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas coming from Denver to overhaul the Bulls in that image. It has not produced quite the same results, to say the least, but the idea of what they want to do is in place.

Vucevic, 32, is the Bulls’ version of Jokic if only in that he is a multi-faceted offensive hub.

The two-time All-Star Vucevic is able to be a scorer, passer, or rebounder and, when he’s been utilized correctly, things have tended to happen for the Bulls.

Shot attempts are never the end-all, be-all of a player’s impact on an offense or game. But the Bulls went 16-9 in 2022-23 when Vucevic took at least 16 shots from the floor and 24-33 when he did not.

Vucevic averaged 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds this past season with 3.2 assists while shooting 52.0% from the floor and 34.9% from beyond the arc. It was just the sixth time in NBA history that a player has produced such a line and Vucevic is the only player on the list – which includes Jokic – twice.

Nikola Vucevic’s Future With Bulls Still Up in the Air

Vucevic is an unrestricted free agent this summer. Both he and Karnisovas have expressed a willingness to work out an extension and have even begun having talks to that end with Chicago eyeing a three-year deal, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Time.

They have good reason since he’s been one of the most reliable players in his career.

“Vucevic, one of the more durable centers, turns 33 in October,” wrote ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks. “He has played three straight seasons of 70-plus games, including 82 this year. His 225 games played ranks eighth among all centers. Vucevic had a career-high 57.6% effective field goal percentage and averaged at least 10 rebounds for a fifth straight season.”

Vucevic is coming off a four-year, $100 million contract and could see a short-term bump in pay after being so consistent. He has said the Bulls would have priority in negotiations so their early talks are a show of good faith if nothing else.

He has also said he will explore his options in free agency.

Nikola Vucevic, Wife Welcome Third Child

Vucevic noted at the start of his exit interview in April that his wife was due with their third child and, on June 11, the Bulls pivot welcomed baby Lazar to the world, introducing the baby to social media the following day.

Vucevic still owns a home in Orlando and has said that he would play for the Magic again someday. However, not only might the timing not be right with Orlando, but he could also be eager to sign that deal to gain some stability with the new addition to the family.

It was clear that the Chicago Bulls needed what Patrick Beverley gave them.

The questions then become do the Bulls offer Beverley what he needs at this point in his career and, if the answer is no, where will he land this offseason?

“Before weighing the merits of a possible Patrick Beverley pursuit, let’s address that elephant in the room: His 2022-23 season was rough,” wrote Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report on June 8 listing Beverly among his ‘sleeper’ targets for the New York Knicks in free agency. “Maybe he just needs a change of scenery to get himself back on track.”

Beverly averaged 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this past season while shooting 40.0% from the floor and 33.5% from beyond the arc. The rebounds and assists were his fewest since the 2021-22 season while the points were his fewest since his rookie season in 2012-13.

His 33.5% mark from deep is a career low while he also missed the postseason for the first time.

Beverley began the 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Lakers but was traded to the Orlando Magic at the trade deadline.

He secured his release and found his way to his hometown Bulls, helping guide them to a 14-9 finish to the regular season. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnsovas has touted that finish and teammates like Coby White have specifically touted Beverley’s impact on them.

The Knicks are helmed by former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau whose style would seemingly fit well with the outspoken Beverley. They also roster former Bulls star Derrick Rose, though he could have his $15.6 million option declined by the team after falling out of the rotation.

Finances May Get in the Way

The biggest apparent hurdle for the Bulls and Beverley trying to start the season together is Beverley’s expected asking price which the guard set at $13 million to start. Chicago is limited to the non-taxpayers midlevel exception which is worth $12.2 million in 2023-24, per Spotrac.

Even at a hometown discount, Beverley would likely account for too much of that to bring back with the team also needing to add some reliable three-point shooting and athletic size up front.

The hope for the Bulls would be that Beverley’s down season keeps his price in check.

Hawks Listed as Potential Patrick Beverley Landing Spot

There could be plenty of teams in need of Beverley’s brand of leadership this offseason including the Atlanta Hawks who went to the Eastern Conference Finals two seasons ago but have been bounced in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

“The Hawks can’t afford to be big spenders in free agency but could use a veteran point guard behind Trae Young and Dejounte Murray,” writes Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report in an article from June 11 identifying backup point guard options for Atlanta. “Beverley can still hit shots and defend at a high level in limited minutes.”

Perhaps the prevailing notion that Beverley can get back to hitting shots at a higher level is enough incentive for the Bulls to count on him next season.

Karnisovas has spoken of getting creative to address the Bulls’ needs this offseason but he has also been big on giving things time to sort themselves out. Beverley could represent the best option for this team based on familiarity and what both sides have to offer each other.

Unless another team, one closer to contending for a title, comes calling.

The Chicago Bulls have plenty of decisions to make this offseason and could look to kick the can down the road on one of them.

“There’s still quite a bit of belief and confidence internally in Patrick Williams,” said NBA Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson on the ‘Bulls Talk Podcast’ on June 8. “But we should pause here for a couple of reasons: They don’t have to extend him, and teams typically in this situation…either don’t engage in negotiations or they set a hardline.”

White cited restricted free agent Coby White and Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler as examples in the Bulls’ history of letting their picks play out. In the case of Butler who has gone on to lead the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances, that decision backfired.

But the Bulls compounded the issue by trading Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Their return of three players has been whittled down to Zach LaVine while the two other pieces – Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen – both had breakout seasons with the Utah Jazz.

Williams, 21, averaged a career-high 10.2 points per game last season while knocking down 41.5% of his threes and appearing in all 82 games this past season. He was the first first-round pick made by Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and it doesn’t sound like they are eager to venture down that previous path.

“They still believe in him,” Johnson reiterated. “He’s growing as a player. Obviously, that second season was difficult with the injury history. I would consider him as part of the future regardless of if he gets an extension or not.”

Williams is still the closest thing to a future building block on the Bulls’ roster.

Johnson also noted that the potential $100 million extension floated by Keith Smith of Spotrac would not be as exorbitant in a few years as it seems now, nor is it an inevitability.

“I understand five years, $100 million dollars sounds like and is a lot of money,” said Johnson. “But…to maintain a young, growing, physical presence that you believe in, you can’t worry about what’s happened in the past. You gotta just focus on keeping the asset. They don’t have to a $100 million contract – this summer or next.”

Johnson went on to note that head coach Billy Donovan’s decision to pull Williams from the starting lineup served the youngster well but more is needed.

Williams only averaged 0.1 more after the shift.

But he went from shooting 45.7% from the floor and 39.8% from deep while starting 58 of the Bulls’ 59 games at the start of the season to 48.1% and 46.5%, respectively, albeit in a much smaller 23-game sample down the stretch, though he did draw seven starts in that span.

Next Steps for Patrick Williams

Johnson called for Williams to be more aggressive on offense, noting that it could show up in ways other than scoring like cutting to the basket which can open things up for teammates, and Donovan has called on Williams to be a more consistently active rebounder, noting that he can be one of the best when he does.

“It’s gotten better but we need it to be more consistent,” Donovan said, per Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. “When he does go, he’s an elite rebounder and he’s got great strength. He’s a guy in very, very tight spaces that gets off the floor and can really rebound.”

Yet, for the second year in a row, Williams’ rebounding numbers dipped, with the 6-foot-7, 215-pounder snagging a career-low 4.0 rebounds per game this past season.

He also hasn’t taken the steps as a playmaker as some had hoped.

Perhaps his lost 2021-22 campaign in which he made just 17 appearances during the regular season after suffering torn wrist ligaments means the breakout he seemed poised for last season happens in 2023-24, and the Bulls took one major step to ensure that is the case.

Bulls Hired Player Development Coach

One of the things Karnisovas was praised for upon taking over in 2020 was bringing the Bulls operations into the modern era. But they still lacked in the player development department, until recently that is.

Chicago hired Chicago-area native and former DePaul standout guard Peter Patton as what Johnson reports is expected to be the “director of player development”.

“Patton, who set the DePaul single-season 3-point shooting mark by connecting at 54.1 percent, also has history with renowned shooting coach Chip Engelland,” Johnson wrote on June 10. “Currently with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Engelland got his start working with Steve Kerr while Kerr played for the Bulls.”

Karnisovas noted in his exit interview that players often passed up threes they could have taken which would have improved the Bulls’ 30th-placed ranking. Perhaps Willams, who averaged 3.4 threes per game, will benefit from the additional emphasis Patton should bring.

It is already a blockbuster 2023 for Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine.

Chicago’s franchise cornerstone is doing his part to promote the upcoming Gran Turismo movie that is set for release in August, sharing his new spot in an Instagram story on June 9.

The ad sees LaVine perhaps poke fun at his reputation for having questionable handles and continues his run of national campaigns that began in earnest last season when he also signed the largest contract in Bulls franchise history – $215 million over five years.

This is not his first ad promoting the movie, though he does have lines this time.

The movie, based on the video game series of the same name, features a star-studded cast including Orlando Bloom, Djimon Hounsou, David Harbour, and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

This new spot also features Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and Houston Rockets big man Boban Marjanovic.

LaVine has appeared in several commercials for Mountain Dew including alongside New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson, was a part of the NBA’s build-up to the 2021-22 campaign, and has been featured in multiple spots for CarMax. LaVine has also pitched satellite television provider DirectTV and has appeared in Nike ads.

The two-time All-Star also debuted New Balance’s Fresh Foam BB shoe when the Bulls played the Detroit Pistons in Paris in January.

The design is expected to be the silhouette for LaVine’s own signature shoe as well.

Zach LaVine Shook Off Injury Concerns

This past season got off to a rocky start for the 28-year-old LaVine as he had to play himself into shape following offseason knee surgery. But he quickly allayed fears about his health – and by extension, that contract – by making 70 out of a possible 71 appearances after missing four of the Bulls’ first 11 games of the season.

LaVine averaged 25.3 points per game and shot 37% from beyond the arc in that span and said that he did not even begin feeling like himself until around December.

He got an additional boost when the team added point guard Patrick Beverley.

LaVine averaged 27.0 points and shot 39.4% from deep over his final 22 appearances of the regular season which includes back-to-back games below 20 points and shooting 3-for-20 over the final three games to end the campaign.

The lone game he missed during that span was for rest and by head coach Billy Donovan’s decision with DeMar DeRozan also sitting out the win over the Dallas Mavericks on April 7.

It was a mixed bag for LaVine in the Play-In Tournament as he dropped 39 points, snagged six rebounds, and dished out three assists against the Toronto Raptors in the first round. But he was limited to 15 points in the second round against the eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat.

Zach LaVine May Get His Wish

One of the things LaVine was sure to bring up in his exit interview via the team’s official YouTube channel on April 15 was his desire for center Nikola Vucevic to return.

“He doesn’t get enough credit for what he does for the team,” LaVine said. “He’s one of the best centers in the league so, me personally, I’m gonna be trying to swindle him and try to keep them here as much as I can as well…We all love Vooch here and appreciate him.”

LaVine may get his wish with the Bulls and Vucevic holding early discussions on a new contract.

“The Bulls are looking to lock up the big man for the next three years,” wrote Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times on June 2.

LaVine also espoused his faith in his and DeRozan’s ability to be a viable tandem on a playoff contender all of which furthers the idea that the Bulls will once again try to add on the margins of the roster this offseason and run it back with the same core. How effective of a plan that is remains to be seen but that is what everyone involved is pushing for which is good.

The Chicago Bulls need to add athleticism to the frontcourt and could find a bargain in a former top-10 pick.

“Frontcourt athleticism should be a priority for Chicago this summer,” writes Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report in an article from June 8 identifying ‘sleeper’ targets. “Jaxson Hayes hasn’t established much during his first four seasons—which is why he might be available for cheap—but the fact that he’s one of the Association’s more athletically gifted bigs is obvious.”

Hayes, 23, averaged just 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds this past season, both significant steps back from 2021-22 when he averaged 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds. But that can be attributed to a significant drop in his playing time.

He went from averaging 20.0 minutes per game in 2021-22 to 13.0 minutes this past season.

“He is sort of a blank slate,” Buckley writes. “His development kind of stagnated with the New Orleans Pelicans…With no notable numbers on his stat sheet, he could wind up in the clearance section.”

Hayes, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, is a restricted free agent this offseason while New Orleans is just $4.6 million below the luxury tax apron, per Spotrac.

New Orleans has never paid the tax but general manager David Griffin says they would.

“We’re not bound by, ‘We won’t pay the tax,’ ” Griffin said in September, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “We will not frivolously pay the tax. If this team is in a position to be as good as we hope to be, I don’t think resources are going to be the reason we won’t get where we need to go.”

The Bulls could certainly test that theory armed with the non-taxpayers midlevel exception, which Spotrac notes is worth $12.2 million for 2022-23.

New Orleans has the right of first refusal and can match whatever offer Hayes receives. But doing so would put them into the tax before any other moves and they still need to improve their team after they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the Play-In Tournament.

Jaxson Hayes Could Complement Andre Drummond if Nikola Vucevic Walks

Hayes’ budding ability to stretch the floor – 35.1% on a modest 57 attempts in 2021-22 – would go well off the bench behind Andre Drummond if he has to step in as the starter in the event unrestricted free agent Nikola Vucevic decides to leave. Drummond, 29, picked up his $3.3 million player option on June 7 to stick around for one more season.

Vucevic and the Bulls have already opened negotiations with Chicago eyeing a three-year commitment, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

A former two-time All-Star just like Drummond, Vucevic has said he will explore his options in free agency. Drummond could handle the minutes and rebounding duties while Hayes could provide the offense, assuming he can continue to develop in Chicago.

That has not been their strong suit with former second-round pick Marko Simonovic as the prime example, though Hayes was always the better prospect as reflected by their draft slot.

The Bulls also have plenty of other, more pressing needs to address.

Jae Crowder, Cory Joseph Listed as Potential Targets for Bulls

Buckley also named Milwaukee Bucks forward Jae Crowder and Detroit Pistons guard Cory Joseph as potential offseason targets for the Bulls.

The Phoenix Suns traded Crowder, 32, to the Brooklyn Nets who immediately flipped him to  Milwaukee at the deadline. He was scarcely used, leading to some frustration from the battle-tested veteran of 10 straight playoffs – one for each year he has been in the league.

“[The Bulls] still need a versatile, big wing defender,” Buckley writes. “The 6’6″, 235-pounder checks that box.”

Crowder averaged 6.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 43.6% from deep splitting the 2022-23 campaign between the Bucks and Phoenix Suns. Meanwhile, Joseph, 31, averaged 6.9 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 rebounds and sunk 38.9% of his threes for the Pistons last season.

“With Lonzo Ball‘s present and future totally up in the air, the Bulls need to seek out other solutions at the point guard spot,” argues Buckley. “Cory Joseph might help with that.”

If the Chicago Bulls make Zach LaVine available, the Philadelphia 76ers could be a fit for the former UCLA star, according to Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation.

“Not only could (LaVine) provide the MVP with some secondary scoring assistance, but he’d give Philly a powerful perimeter scoring game to pair with (Joel) Embiid’s interior dominance,” Schuster wrote in a June 6 opinion piece. “It’s not hard to see a world where these two lead one of the more efficient and explosive offenses in the NBA.”

Schuster’s piece hinged on whether Chicago would undergo a full-on teardown of its roster this offseason after two years of underperforming with the team’s Big Three — LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevich. In May, The Athletic wrote that the Bulls “have to start making trades” even after the team’s vice president of basketball operations, Artūras Karnišovas, said that blowing up the roster is “not on our minds,” according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Still, if a teardown were on the table, LaVine’s $40 million salary would fit in a one-for-one swap involving Tobias Harris’ expiring $39 million contract. In such a scenario, Philadelphia would likely need to send several picks to Chicago.

Unlikely Sixers Pursue a DeMar DeRozan Trade

While calling LaVine a possibility for the Sixers, Schuster downplayed the Sixers’ likelihood of chasing Bulls co-star DeMar DeRozan.

“Now, the idea of the 76ers targeting DeRozan is far more difficult to envision,” Schuster wrote. “His mid-range-heavy game wouldn’t pair as seamlessly with Embiid, who needs to do the large majority of his work inside. Now, Embiid can stretch the floor effectively, but I’m still not sure Philly would view DeRozan as the kind of wing talent needed to continue competing with the league elites.”

If the Sixers were to pursue LaVine or DeRozan, Tyrese Maxey would be the primary trade piece, according to Schuster.

“Thanks to a completely depleted draft arsenal, any conversation between these two teams would likely have to start with Tyrese Maxey,” Schuster wrote. “And that wouldn’t be an easy conversation for Philly.”

Tyrese Maxey Payday Could Be Expensive For Sixers

If the Sixers decide not to deal away Maxey, the 20-point-per-game scorer’s next contract could be lucrative, according to HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan.

“The floor for Maxey in negotiations will likely start with recent extensions for RJ Barrett, Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole” Gozlan wrote. “Of those three, Poole got the most guaranteed money at four years, $123 million, an annual average salary of just under $31 million. Maxey is arguably a cut above that group, but might not quite be a maximum player, projected at five years, $194.3 million. A slightly below maximum contract in the $175-185 million range could make sense.”

Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin feels that payday is one the Sixers must give Maxey in the event Harden leaves in free agency.

“If Harden does leave in free agency, which is a strong chance, Maxey has to be extended to keep him in Philadelphia next to Joel Embiid,” Carlin wrote. “He would also have to quickly take on more responsibility as the clear-cut No. 2 scorer next to Embid to keep the Sixers in contention in the East.”