The 2023 NBA trade deadline is just around the corner. That doesn't leave the Chicago Bulls a lot of time to wait. Keep in mind that this is a club that has repeatedly demonstrated its inconsistency to make real progress. However, there might not be many options for them moving forward. Some indications may lead us to believe that the Bulls would stay fairly quiet leading up to the trade deadline. However, we also have some executives identifying them as a team to monitor for big-time moves. Here we will look at what potential 2023 NBA trade deadline move the Bulls would regret.

The Bulls have had a pretty underwhelming season so far. That said, they have improved lately. Chicago boasts of a winning record in January (7-6) and climbed to 10th place in the Eastern Conference. However, a rebuild, or at the very least, a retooling, is still necessary for this team. Despite big acquisitions such as Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and the signing of Zach LaVine to a five-year $215 million deal, their on-court performance has not met expectations. While recent wins against strong opponents are encouraging, it is unlikely the Bulls will be successful if they make it to the playoffs.

At this point, the Bulls should only consider trades that will improve the team's performance on the court in the near term. Take note that Vucevic may sign a four-year $118 million extension, putting the team in the luxury tax. DeRozan, whose contract is expiring, may also sign a four-year $153 million extension. Despite decent performances at times, LaVine's trade value may be limited due to past knee surgeries and a high salary in the last two years of his contract.

Meanwhile, Coby White, a young guard in his fourth season who has been playing more lately, could bring value to the Bulls as a restricted free agent. Alex Caruso also has trade value, not only due to his contract but also his ability to defend various positions.

As such, the Bulls should be sellers at the deadline. Players like Vucevic, LaVine, and White should be sent away in order to get future assets and start a complete rebuild of the squad. We believe that this team's present configuration is just not likely to play well, even if Lonzo Ball comes back.

With all these said, let's look at what potential 2023 NBA trade deadline move the Bulls would regret.

Bulls trading DeMar DeRozan

One guy they absolutely have to keep, however, is DeRozan. If they put him in any deal, they'd regret it, for sure. That is unless they can get an absolute gold mine for him. However, we don't expect that to happen.

After barging into the top 10 of the Eastern Conference, the Bulls are no longer in a state of crisis. However, relying solely on a healthy Lonzo Ball to resolve their issues would be a mistake. The Bulls are currently mediocre and a healthy Ball alone won't change that. To aim for a better outcome, the team should consider starting fresh by rebuilding the roster.

It's important to note that rebuilding a team is not an easy process and may not be completed entirely. However, the Bulls can still find a balanced solution to improve their future prospects. They should rebuild by finding trade partners for Vucevic, LaVine, White, and maybe even Caruso. Just keep DeRozan out of it.

Yes, DeRozan has an expiring contract. However, if he does leave after this season, that frees up a lot of cap space for Chicago to look for a number of up-and-comers to join their rebuild. They cannot just be satisfied with the current state of mediocrity they're mired in.

If they prefer not to trade LaVine and the remaining 4 years, $178.1 million of his contract, that's also okay. They should, however, check the market for Vucevic's expiring contract and see if any team is willing to give up valuable draft picks or prospects for him. The reality is that the Bulls currently don't have the draft assets to make a significant trade, so they have to make do with selling the talent they can unload. With no first-round pick before 2027, the best option for the Bulls is to focus on acquiring long-term draft assets.