Bulls' lack of trade activity shows they won't make any necessary moves

Zach LaVine scored 31 points when the Bulls beat the New York Knicks Wednesday, 124-123, to improve to 5-7. After missing 57 games with injuries last season, he's averaging 23.4 points and shooting 42.6 percent from three-point range this year and 54.2 percent from the field, both of which are career-highs.

Center Nikola Vucevic had 19 points and 11 rebounds in Wednesday's win. He's averaging 20.7 points and 10.2 rebounds, with his three-point shooting up to 44.9 percent after last year's miserable 29.4 percent average.

Still, even with the veterans balling out, Chicago is being outscored by 4.8 points per 100 possessions, which puts them 22nd in the league in net rating. They have the 20th-ranked defense and the No. 22 offense in the NBA. If this team is a contender, it's once again contending for the play-in tournament.

That's not a bad goal by any means, but it's an unambitious one. Vucevic is 34 years old, and almost certainly won't be part of the next great or even good Bulls team. LaVine is looking more like his former All-Star self, but he's still owed nearly $95M for the 2025-27 seasons. With both players wildly outperforming their recent levels of play, this is the time for Chicago to sell high.

Vucevic is the easiest to sell, as he's making $20M this season and $21.5M in 2025-26. Especially with starting centers going down all over the league, "Vooch" could be a tantalizing option for a team that needs offense and a shooting big man. LaVine is a harder sell because of his contract, but his scoring ability remains unique.

But the Bulls simply don't sell off their players. They kept DeMar DeRozan last season when he was headed for free agency and chose to re-sign Vucevic and LaVine when their contracts were expiring. Plus, a Lakers insider claimed that while the Lakers need a center, the Bulls won't deal with them for fear of hurting Michael Jordan's legacy.

There's another big reason for the Bulls to finally trade veterans this season. They owe a 2025 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs that's protected for picks 1-10. If the Bulls repeat the last two years and make the play-in, they'll likely lose their first-rounder and delay their inevitable rebuild further.

That's the peril for Bulls fans. The team's early success is fun to watch, especially with them playing at the NBA's fastest pace. But every win this year might make the future Bulls worse.