The Chicago Bulls' activity before the upcoming 2021 NBA Trade Deadline may very well determine if they’ll make it to the playoffs this season.
The team is currently out of the playoff picture, sitting at 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a 19-22 slate. They have also gone 4-6 in their last 10 games.
For what it's worth, Chicago has been linked to several trade rumors as soon as the new season began.
Several players have reportedly been on the trade block for most of the season, including Lauri Markkanen, Thaddeus Young, and Wendell Carter Jr., among others. Heck, even their superstar guard Zach LaVine was not spared despite the breakout year he’s currently having.
The LaVine trade talks have since died down, and the Chicago brass seems to have come to their senses about keeping their All-Star swingman for the long run.
But even with a go-to player like Lavine in tow, the Bulls definitely need several more impact players to surround their superstar and match up with the upper echelon of the now talent-stacked Eastern Conference.
Let’s look at two possible trade deals that the Bulls must consider before the deadline.
Upgrade point guard situation with Lonzo Ball
Despite their many shortcomings on the floor, the Bulls are actually an efficient offensive team, placing in the Top 10 in points per game, as well as field goal and 3-point percentage.
Now imagine if they have a pass-first point guard who can orchestrate their offensive sets at an even higher rate. That’s where Lonzo Ball fits in. Apart from having a career-year shooting the basketball, the Pelicans playmaker is a smart floor general with good size for his position.
Don’t get me wrong: Coby White has been quite a surprise for the Bulls, especially in terms of giving them another scorer who can be lethal when he gets it going. However, he might be better suited as a sparkplug off the bench rather than a starter in the long-run.
With Ball handling the keys to the offense, LaVine can focus on playing off-ball and perhaps even get better looks. A straight-up Ball for Lauri Markkanen deal gets the job done salary-wise since the Bulls have some space to absorb Ball's $11 million salary this year.
However, the Bulls front office should explore offering perhaps a bigger enticing package to get more players out of the deal. Jaxson Hayes is another promising youngster who can improve their frontcourt.
Going all-in for Andre Drummond
Not a lot of teams are risking absorbing Drummond’s mammoth contract for a lot of reasons. For starters, $28 million is a lot of dough for someone who could just easily walk away in free agency by the end of the season.
Thus, contenders are scared trading for the services of the 6-foot-10 behemoth and a buy-out seems imminent. While the Bulls could get Drummond for a lower price if they throw their hat in the ring, their chances would be rather slim.
The two-time All-Star center will likely elect to sign with a contender, much like what Blake Griffin recently did in his own buy-out as he joined the Brooklyn Nets. But if they can somehow orchestrate a swap with the Cleveland Cavaliers, then they won’t have to engage in a bidding war for his services.
Obviously, this would be a huge gamble for the Chicago front office, which received a major facelift last year. A gamble of this magnitude could easily turn them into geniuses or blow up in their faces. Drummond, after all, is still one of the top-tier centers in the league today despite the limitations of his game. His arrival gives the Bulls a second All-Star caliber player who can impact the game on both ends.
In the event that they explore this possibility, the Bulls can offer Otto Porter’s own massive contract along with a future draft pick.
This would be ideal for the Bulls in the event that Drummond doesn’t re-sign, and they’ll have a significant cap room without gutting their roster. Nonetheless, Cleveland likely would want future and present assets for a Drummond deal, so they will likely need to get creative with his one.
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