Chicago Bulls Got Zero First-Round Picks In Return For Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan And Alex Caruso

The Bulls front office hasn't made too many great decisions over the years and it's a big reason why the team last won a playoff series all the way back in 2015. Let's take a look at what they got for Caruso, DeRozan, and LaVine.

Caruso was the first to go, with the Bulls trading him to the Oklahoma City Thunder straight up for Josh Giddey in June 2024. It was a shocker that they couldn't get a first-round pick for the two-time All-Defensive guard. 

CHGO's Will Gottlieb reported that the Bulls had received offers from multiple teams, consisting of multiple protected first-round picks for Caruso before the 2024 trade deadline. They decided against moving him as ownership wanted the team to fight for a playoff spot. 

The Bulls made the Play-in Tournament as the ninth seed but failed to make the playoffs, losing to the Miami Heat in their second game. So, they failed to make the playoffs and then proceeded to get an underwhelming haul for Caruso. Talk about a double whammy.

DeRozan was the next to go, in July 2024. He joined the Kings on a sign-and-trade deal, with the Bulls getting Chris Duarte, two second-round picks, and cash in return. Teams don't get significant returns in sign-and-trades but this was disappointing even by those standards. 

Duarte has played 17 games for the Bulls this season and hasn't started any of them. He is averaging just 4.4 minutes per game and is one of the last ones off the bench for them. So, the Bulls basically gave up DeRozan for two second-rounders and cash. You can't criticise the front office for not getting a first-round pick here but they could have gotten a better haul than this.

Lastly, we get to LaVine. The Bulls got Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, and a 2025 first-round pick in that three-team deal with the Kings and Spurs. Now, you might be wondering, well there is a first-round pick right there, but it's actually the Bulls' own pick they had sent to the Spurs to acquire DeRozan in 2021.

That pick was also top-10 protected, so the Bulls were likely going to get it anyway. They currently have the ninth-worst record in the NBA at 21-29 and are likely to only tumble down the standings even further after parting with LaVine. The pick was also top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027, after which it would have become a second-rounder.

So, the Bulls didn't really gain a first-round pick with this LaVine trade. In all likelihood, what they did was ensure that they keep their second-round pick in 2028.

Here's a final look at what the Bulls managed to get for their three stars in trades over the last nine months.

Chicago Bulls Traded: DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso

Chicago Bulls Received: Josh Giddey, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Chris Duarte, rights to their own 2025 first-round pick, two second-round picks, cash

Should the Bulls have gotten a truckload of first-round picks for Caruso, DeRozan, and LaVine? No, but they should have received at least one or two. This was poor asset management from the Bulls' front office and it will be interesting to see what they get for Nikola Vucevic if he gets dealt before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.