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After another unsuccessful season the Windy City, the Chicago Bulls made significant changes on the roster. Prospect forward Lauri Markkanen left for Cleveland, while Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan were added to the squad. Additionally, the team was further strengthened by adding Alex Caruso and Derrick Jones Jr, both of which will provide good minutes off the bench.
However, to fully challenge for the postseason, more changes are needed. Therefore, here are two potential trades that can mean all the difference for Billy Donovan's squad.
Potential Bulls Trades
Kristaps Porzingis to Bulls; Nikola Vucevic, Coby White to Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are not getting what they hoped for in Latvian center Kristaps Porzingis. The Unicorn, as Kevin Durant famously proclaimed him, has not been able to remain healthy in Dallas and this opens up a huge chance for the Bulls to snatch him up. Past European forwards with a sweet shooting stroke did not have a good time in Chicago, but Porzingis could be different.
He is a proven NBA talent and former All-Star, who can contribute in a huge way. As DeRozan is getting up there in age playing alongside a pass-first guard in Ball, Porzingis might be a great second scoring option, behind Zach LaVine. Porzingis brings a ton of scoring from the wings and inside, while also being a capable defender. He will be looking to bounce back from a poor few seasons in Dallas and a change of scenery could do wonders for the Latvian forward.
Being able to stretch the floor is the best thing a center not named Nikola Jokic can bring to an NBA team. Thus, Porzingis will be able to keep the lane open for drives of LaVine and DeRozan, both athletic guards who can score on the inside. Additionally, Ball will be able to find him in corners with his bullet passes, similar to what was supposed to happen in Dallas with Luka Doncic. If Kristaps can remain healthy and position himself better in the offense, there will be absolutely no issues for the Unicorn to fit in with this Bulls team.
On the other hand, having a proven inside option in Vucevic will be great for the Mavericks. Additionally, both Vucevic and White are on two-year deals, thus giving at least some flexibility to the Dallas franchise. Both Vucevic and Doncic come from the European school of basketball and both are capable passers, so Doncic would not need to carry that much of a shot-creating load. In addition to that, White will be able to play point guard for the second unit, thus taking some responsibility off of Doncic in terms of handling the ball and running the offense.
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Robert Williams to Bulls; Derrick Jones Jr. to Celtics
The Bulls still need pieces in the frontcourt to fully complement their new squad. All their summer additions are guards and wings so they still need reinforcements around the basket. Thus, this trade makes perfect sense. Even though the Bulls are giving away a piece that can help them right away here, having Williams would make the team more balanced.
Williams is an interesting player. He has all the physical capabilities to be a tower in the middle of the paint, but it appears that he's yet to figure out how to put the tools he has to good use in the pros. He does not seem focused at times and famously had gaffes when joining the Celtics, which got him the nickname Timelord. However, since the Bulls do have some time, with LaVine and Ball just entering their prime, Williams would be absolutely perfect.
He is a defensive upgrade over Vucevic, and he can learn a lot from the Montenegrin center on the attacking end. Should he go in the right direction, Williams could be a steal at just over $3 million in yearly earnings over five seasons. This is a risk, but these kinds of teams who are in rebuilding need to take risks.
On the other hand, the Celtics need immediate help to reach the Playoffs. While Williams has been their project, maybe it is time to go in a different direction. They added Al Horford and Enes Kanter as center options, so Williams would struggle for minutes regardless. This way, they have a defensive stopper in Derrick Jones Jr who can come in right away and help out. Additionally, he is a heck of an athlete. He can also provide some scoring.
The Bulls need different things to balance out their roster. These two trades would give them a good scoring option with a chip on his shoulder, or a project that is worth the risk. Should they keep the roster as is, they are still certainly going to go all-out to return to the Playoffs.
