The unlikely trade that would move the Chicago Bulls into contention

Although the Chicago Bulls’ core seems pretty solid moving forward, they might have to mix things up to move out of the lottery and into contention.

Things aren’t always what they seem.

How things may seem is that the Chicago Bulls did a great job last season of turning their surplus of power forwards into an extremely viable two-way small forward in Otto Porter Jr.

And of course, it seems like they now boast a young player with upside at every position. But things in today’s NBA have changed a bit.

In this landscape, the writing on the wall is that teams absolutely must collect multiple young superstars, multidimensional players that are in one way or another standing out from all the other “high upside” guys their age.

Just look at the best young contenders in this year’s playoffs.

The Philadelphia 76ers have Ben Simmons (22 years old) and Joel Embiid (25 years old) — both freaks, both superstars.

Look at the Denver Nuggets, whose best two players are arguably 24 (Nikola Jokic) and 22 years old (Jamal Murray).

Even the Brooklyn Nets have a 23-year-old D’Angelo Russell, a 24-year-old Caris LeVert and a 21-year-old Jarrett Allen.

The Bulls, meanwhile, have Zach LaVine (24), Otto Porter (25), Wendell Carter Jr. (20), Kris Dunn (25), and Lauri Markkanen (22).

Can you hear that ticking? It’s Father Time. Yes, they’re young, but they’re also plenty old enough to have logged more wins than they did in 2018-19.

If the Bulls don’t do anything about this logjam of young guys vying for alpha dog position, they’re going to end up hitting reset or floating in mediocrity. Neither is an ideal plan for a talented collection of chips.

One move this summer — however unlikely it is — that would keep this thing interesting would be trading Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen and a draft pick (perhaps this year’s No. 7 pick) in exchange for Ben Simmons.

Though there’s been zero indication the Sixers are looking to make such a deal, Simmons’ fit with Embiid is questionable. Such a move would give the Bulls a second, more established superstar to pair with what one can only hope will become a superstar in Zach LaVine.

The deal mostly makes sense because it means trading a flawed player in Ben Simmons, who struggles with the confidence needed to score, for another flawed player, Lauri Markkanen, who cannot play defense (yet). Sending Dunn and a draft pick in the deal hurts, but guess who else hurts all the time? Dunn himself. Since his rookie year, he’s played in just 52 and 46 games over the next two seasons due to injury.

Simmons can still improve upon his game and learn to score, but not under the immediate pressure of winning an NBA title with little spacing around him. He’d get a kick-out, 3-and-D guy in Porter, similar to how he thrived kicking it to Robert Covington during their time together in Philly. Mostly, it gives the Bulls a proven piece to instill confidence to take the next step forward, and addresses their biggest need at point guard.

For the 76ers, it makes the team all about The Process, and gives them youthful pieces that will complement Embiid’s game better, especially with Markkanen spreading the floor as a stretch-4. These players are also young enough to not make the 76ers feel like there is a window about to close on their opportunity. After all, they didn’t tank half a decade to risk it all on one offseason.

The deal checks out from a financial standpoint. The only thing holding it back is seeing where the free agency pieces pan out. If Jimmy Butler and/or Tobias Harris re-sign, however, it might give the Sixers a good enough reason to take two less expensive players for Simmons, who will likely demand a max contract soon.

But guess who can and would willingly pay that price? The Chicago Bulls.