The Chicago Bulls are off to an 8-10 start, which has put them in an interesting spot. Chicago has some great talent on their roster, but losing games early on has led to the question, could the Bulls be sellers?
There are options for either route that Chicago goes, but buying would result in giving up more future assets. The NBA is at a very competitive level right now, and the Eastern Conference has many contenders that would be tough for the Bulls to surpass. LaVine has been subject to many trade rumors early this season. The Dallas Mavericks have been linked as a destination for LaVine, but the Bulls haven't shown any traction toward this yet.
Chicago is led by their stars LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Around them, they have some solid contributors, including Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams. The Bulls will have an uphill climb to be a contender this season.
They have won two straight games and could be finding some traction. It has been over two good teams, as they have defeated the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. Boston and Milwaukee are two of the top contenders in the NBA and have a shot at winning the title. Getting back-to-back wins over those teams could be the spark that Chicago needs to become competitive once again, like last season.
If they want to solidify that they will be a playoff-level team, making a move for a veteran contributor is the way to go.
With that said, here is the Bulls' most realistic trade target after the first month of the 2022-23 season.
Jae Crowder
While the Bulls may aren't off to the best start, they still could try and compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. An important part to remember about Chicago is that they are missing their starting point guard Lonzo Ball. Ball is their third-best player but could be out for the season. So, when looking to make moves for the future, Ball could play a factor, as they know he will eventually return to the team, even if it's not this season.
Acquiring Jae Crowder will be a good move for the Bulls if they are interested in winning now. Crowder has been in trade talks after he and the Phoenix Suns agreed to part ways. The 32-year-old forward is a reliable three & D forward in the NBA, which has led multiple teams to draw interest from multiple teams. However, a deal has not yet been reached, and the Bulls could jump into conversations with the Suns.
Last season, Crowder averaged 9.4 points along with 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 39.9 percent from the field and shot 34.8 percent from three. Crowder can defend an opponent's best player, which makes him a great fit for any team.
It gives Chicago another defensive forward, as they currently have Patrick Williams in that role. Williams has played extremely well, averaging 9.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest. He is almost averaging one steal and one block as well. Williams is in his third season and is shooting a very efficient 48.4 percent from the field and 42 percent from behind the arc.
The Bulls have plenty of time to turn the season around, and acquiring a veteran like Crowder could help them improve and make a playoff push.
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