Last Week: Beat Detroit Pistons 100-86, Lost to Utah Jazz 120-95, Lost to Cleveland Cavaliers 103-94, Lost to San Antonio Spurs 120-104
This Week: 3/29 vs. Sacramento Kings, 3/31 vs. Sacramento Kings, 4/1 vs. Atlanta Hawks, 4/3 vs. Indiana Pacers
The Chicago Bulls have decided they are ready for the main stage. Even if that stage is just competing for the sixth seed in the playoffs that is a huge step forward for a team that has not fielded multiple All-Stars since 2016. The Bulls pushed their chips in, betting on this move being a step towards showing Zach LaVine they want to keep him beyond next season.
The Nikola Vucevic trade is the headliner. The two-time All-Star is having a career year, averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game on shooting splits of .480/.406/.827. Bringing in the big man and Al-Farouq Aminu for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and two future top-four protected first-round picks may sound like a steep price to pay but the contract for Vucevic is so team-friendly that it is understandable. LaVine has never played with another star in Chicago and the team was already on the playoff periphery.
That is not the only move the team made. The Bulls brought in Daniel Theis, Javonte Green and Troy Brown Jr. in exchange for Luke Kornet, Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchison. This is a big win for the team from Chicago. Daniel Theis is immediately the best reserve center in the league and brings a level of toughness on the defensive end the team is lacking Troy Brown Jr. was really good in the bubble last season and needed a change of scenery to take advantage of his talents. Do not expect the Bulls to stay this low in the rankings for long.