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The Chicago Bulls do not typically blow up the team and build through the draft. They prefer to remain semi-competitive instead of fully embracing the tank, which is what they've done over the past few seasons. And at the very least, the Bulls' roster appears to have a few players worthy of being keepers. Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Matas Buzelis are bright young players who have plenty of room to get better; Giddey, in particular, ended the season on such a high note that the Alex Caruso trade doesn't look too lopsided anymore.
It's not quite clear what the Bulls front office's plans are; they traded Zach LaVine to secure the rights to their 2025 first-round pick, which ended up being the 12th selection, but they still have the Nikola Vucevic trade situation to resolve. Chicago is also stuck with a huge Patrick Williams contract that no other team would want unless the Bulls attach a few draft picks so they could get rid of that albatross.
But one would think that the Bulls will be on the prowl for, perhaps, a superstar player that they can bring in to help round out their rising young core. With the Eastern Conference being as weak as it is, the Bulls can talk themselves into contending for a playoff spot next season while having the potential to blossom into a powerhouse in the near future if they draft well in the coming years.
To that end, here are a few trade targets the Bulls could perhaps set their sights on this offseason.
Zion Williamson in the Windy City?
Zion Williamson is, without a doubt, a talented young player, a highflying forward whose playmaking game has grown year after year. He is an unstoppable freight train when he builds up a head of steam going towards the basket, and his combination of leaping ability and strength makes him quite the powerful rim attacker who can impose his will even against the best rim protectors in the league.
Alas, Williamson's kryptonite has always been his injury-proneness. He played in just 30 games this past season, and he's dealt with a plethora of lower-body injuries that has made his body seem much older than he actually is. Availability may not be the best ability, but it sure is important; it's hard to win consistently when your best player is constantly on the sidelines, a fact of life that the New Orleans Pelicans have experienced firsthand throughout Williamson's stint in the Big Easy.
Thus, there is a chance that the Pelicans finally pull the plug on the “Williamson as the franchise cornerstone” experiment this offseason, especially with a new brain trust taking over the front office. And if that happens, perhaps the Bulls would decide that betting on the talent Williamson has is worth ignoring all the alarming risks that come with him.
Williamson is only 24 years of age; while it's unlikely for a man of his stature to suddenly avoid the injury bug completely, the human body is a mystery, and maybe with the maturity that comes with age comes the discipline that is necessary to be in tiptop shape. A change of scenery could also light a fire underneath Williamson.
The Bulls would also make Williamson's life on offense that much easier. He wouldn't have to create offense for himself often, especially if the Bulls manage to keep Giddey and White in a world where they manage to acquire the Pelicans star via trade.
Lauri Markkanen, Bulls homecoming?
It's fair to say that Lauri Markkanen did not get a fair shake with the Bulls, especially towards the end of his stint in the Windy City. Former head coach Jim Boylen did not instill much confidence in Markkanen, and by his third season in Chicago, his production had waned and his stock plummeted.
In 2021, Markkanen decided to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Bulls decided that letting him go for a protected first-round pick was worth it. In the end, that pick did not convey, leaving the Bulls with nothing much to show for for the former seventh overall pick of the draft.
Perhaps this is the offseason that the Bulls can rectify the mistake they made with Markkanen all those years ago. Markkanen may have decided to sign a huge contract extension with the Utah Jazz last season, but with the Jazz looking nowhere near ready to contend for a playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference, even the very patient Markkanen, who's already 28 years old, may want to find himself in a better situation.
At the very least, the Bulls will be trying to win next season, which is not something that could be said for the Jazz after they whiffed on the top pick this year yet again.
Bam Adebayo could be available
Among the three mentioned in this article, Bam Adebayo appears to be the most unlikely to become available in a trade. Adebayo embodies Heat Culture to a T. He is a rangy defender who can anchor top-level defenses, and he has been expanding his offensive range in recent years. Any team would love to have Adebayo as their starting center due to his matchup versatility.
For the Bulls, this would be a drastic change of pace from who they have at center right now in Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic is not a good defender whatsoever. His foot speed has never been the best, his positioning is wonky at best, and his level of athleticism, which has waned over the past few years, further compounds his weaknesses on that end of the floor.
If the Bulls were to become serious playoff contenders, they will have to improve their defense (they ranked 19th this past season). Vucevic is simply not the answer at center for that to come to fruition. Adebayo would make the Bulls so much more resolute on that end and would give them a reasonable path to a winning season.
But again, this is the biggest pipe dream among all the big pipe dreams in this piece.
