To say that head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls have gotten off to a horrible start to the 2023-24 season would be a major understatement. The Bulls currently sit at an abysmal 5-14, and as the quality of play from starters like DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic continues to decline, Donovan has faced questions about both his lineups as well as the security of his own job as head coach.

Recently, Donovan broke down his mindset as it pertains to setting up his lineups and adjusting when players aren't performing at the level needed for the Bulls to be successful, including whether he'd consider benching either DeRozan, Vucevic, or guard Zach Lavine.

“I don't have a problem doing whatever's best for the team,” said Donovan, per KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “But I would say if those guys aren't playing at elite level, it's not the best thing for our team. So helping those guys play at elite level would be more important.”

The trade rumor mill has been swirling around Chicago in heavy rotation for the last few weeks, particularly regarding Zach Lavine and wing three and D specialist Alex Caruso. The Bulls' awful performance on the court, which included most recently a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics, has done nothing to diminish that speculation.

With a core of key players that looks past its prime and incompatible with one another, it certainly would not be shocking to see the Bulls make a move or two in the coming weeks.