There is plenty of trade rumors swirling around online and elsewhere connecting the Chicago Bulls to a number of star players who could be on the move. Which players actually would make sense in Chicago?
The Chicago Bulls have been rumored to be "buyers" ahead of the upcoming NBA trade deadline. It is tough to peg exactly which direction the Bulls will go--whether or not they chose to make any moves--simply because a team stuck so squarely in the middle can quite literally do anything.
The Bulls could go "all-in"--whatever that means for this current iteration--and try to acquire a star, likely an oft-injured one, who would conceivably raise the ceiling of the team in terms of making the actual playoffs (not Play-In). Or they could, finally,--mercifully?--pull the plug on the remaining piece of the 2021 Bulls, either trading or buying out pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) Nikola Vucevic, before deciding whether or not fellow UFAs Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White should get put on the trade block as well, committing to a full-scale (and again, actual) rebuild that surrounds Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey with talented and eager rookies.
But since we know a thing or two about the history of the Bulls, we know that they are not fond of, nor have they really ever committed to, fully tearing down the roster and tanking, collecting extra draft picks in the process. The trade that brought Nikola Vucevic to Chicago--as well as the DeMar DeRozan deal to get him to Chicago--showcased how Arturas Karnisovas would operate when he felt there was a "star" player who fit his vision of the team. He would be extremely aggressive, unafraid to dangle multiple picks in order to secure his man.
If Karnisovas was to try to execute a part two to his shocking Vucevic acquisition and bring in a former All-Star player to the Bulls, who are the players that fit the most?
3. Jonathan Kuminga
I have never been a huge fan of the idea of Kuminga on the Bulls, but it is still a real possibility, as he undeniably adds talent to a Chicago roster that needs it. The 23-year old forward started the season off on a hot streak, but has settled back into averages of 12.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game on 43.8% shooting from the field (32% from the 3-point line).
The fact that Kuminga has not developed much as a shooter in terms of accuracy or aggressiveness (2.9 3PAs per game), makes him tough to just slide into any lineup. With Chicago's litany of injuries, Kuminga would be quite helpful defensively on the wing and matching up with certain PFs. But offensively, Kuminga's bulldozing style and reliance on isolations make him an odds fit, even more so when you consider Buzelis is a forward who also needs a decent usage rate to grow his game offensively.
2. Anthony Davis
The Chicago-native has had his name connected to the Bulls the most throughout this current rumor cycle for two obvious reasons: he's from Chicago, and the Bulls defense is awful. Davis--at 32 years old--is not exactly a spring chicken, but he still has more great years left than what the masses would lead you to believe.
It goes without saying that Davis comes with massive injury concerns, and you know you aren't likely to get a full season out of the future Hall of Famer. But the reason he is a future HOFer, is because when Davis does play, you know exactly what you are getting, and you look no further than this season to back that statement up.
Across 10 games played, AD is averaging 19.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game. He still stuffs the stat sheet and serves as an excellent defensive anchor, something that showed up in Davis' 32-point, 13-rebound double double in a win over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Many fans would say acquiring Davis doesn't make sense for the Bulls because they are so far away from contention. But acquiring an All-NBA caliber big man to man the backline of your struggling defense is certainly a way to get closer to contending for a title.
1. Zion Williamson
The moment we've all been waiting for, the time when we get to discuss the tantalizing prospect of Zion Williamson on the Chicago Bulls. Williamson is perhaps one of the few players in the league who can match Davis, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George in terms of missing games, despite the fact that he is almost a decade younger, so I can completely understand why the idea of Williamson on the Bulls being "tantalizing" is confusing to some. But I again ask you--as I did with Davis--to pay attention to what he brings to the team when he does play.
Williamson is a one man offense, capable of collapsing a defense quickly with his powerful drives to the basket. He is an unselfish player--career average of 4.3 assists per game, including a career-best 5.3 assists per game last season--who would be capable of trading off with Josh Giddey in terms of who initiates the offense. He would bring an intriguing versatility to Billy Donovan's offense, allowing Giddey to spot up from 3-point range off of his drives, or letting Giddey set him up for lobs at the rim. With Vucevic manning the five spot for the Bulls, they don't have an explosive option in terms of the roll man in pick-and-roll attacks, with Buzelis being the closest thing. We've seen how fruitful the Giddey to Buzelis lobs have been for the Bulls offense, so it isn't hard to imagine the success of a staple play featuring Giddey's incredible playmaking prowess and Williamson's explosive leaping ability.
I get it, the Bulls acquiring Zion Williamson and the move blowing up in their face would make the "I-told-you-so" faction of the fanbase furious. But at the same time, those same fans can admit it doesn't take much searching throughout Bulls history to see they have never really pursued a daring, bold, trade for a disgruntled--or available for a low asset cost--star player. If Chicago finally pursues a bold trade for a difference-maker, getting a 25-year old, two-time All-Star--even an often injured one--would showcase to the fanbase, whether or not they like the move, that they are trying. And trying is all you can ask for amid what feels like a arduous season ahead.