The Chicago Bulls are in the worst spot a team in the NBA can be in. They aren’t good enough to truly contend for a championship but aren’t anywhere near bad enough to expect to land a top pick in the draft. That middle ground is the worst possible space for a basketball franchise to be, and the Bulls seem okay toeing that line.
It is easy to see why they would. Point guard Lonzo Ball will miss this season, but there is hope he can eventually get back on the court. When he was healthy during the 2020-21 season, the Bulls were atop the Eastern Conference.
If they can find a player to provide a similar impact as Ball did, this roster can quickly ascend the standings. Seemingly determined to move forward with the trio of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, the front office is likely open to making more additions.
There are a few players that can help the team improve, as Jack Simeone of USA TODAY Sports Media Group put together a list of three trade targets for the Bulls. The first is Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards. Kuzma signed an extension this offseason, but given the franchise’s state, he could be put on the trade market when eligible.
The Wizards are going nowhere fast after trading Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns this summer. If they sell pieces off ahead of the deadline, Kuzma would add some scoring punch to the Chicago frontcourt.
Another player that would provide some scoring is Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers. Hield is an elite, high-volume 3-point shooter. That is something the Bulls could use a little more of, as they ranked 16th in the NBA last season, making 36.1 percent of their long-range attempts. But, it was on very low volume as they made and attempted the fewest 3-pointers per game in the NBA.
Last but not least is Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves turned the NBA on its head last year when they acquired Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz for an exorbitant price.
That duo was expected to elevate the team to another level, but it didn’t have the positive impact they hoped for. If that pairing doesn’t find more success this season, a trade ahead of the deadline could become a possibility.
The Timberwolves aren’t going to get anywhere near the value for Gobert as they paid for him, but Towns could get close. It would be interesting to see what kind of package the Bulls could put together, as a third team would need to get involved to take on Vucevic.
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