Bulls Trade Rumors Only

[prolific passer]

Pelicans seem like they need some vets on their team. All this talk about breaking up the Zion/Ingram duo.

We need more people from Carolina on this squad

Honestly I'd offer DeMar and Carter for Zion. Just for the effort at least to do something.

[kodo]

Maybe he likes it here and appreciates that the Bulls are a team that went after him last time he was a free agent?

Or maybe the Bulls improve next year and that gets him to stay?

I know...its a stretch, but possible. I like Caruso, but I tend to think that if a good deal is on the table you take it.

Agreed, he was in that situation with LA he said point blank he would have preferred being in LA and if LA came close, he would have stayed there. We offered around $3M more and he came to a 31 win team from a championship team.

There's nothing in his career that indicates he'll stay for less money due to feelings.

[MikeDC]

It's not that I'm really enjoying this team. Though I do like that they're competitive. It's that I think being competitive has been a key component to the development of the players who may still be here when we are finally good again.
...
I realize my position is in the minority. I also realize that "continuity" has become a four-letter word around here. But I believe in the power of stability. I believe in creating a culture of competition. A culture of trying to win. Every time we rebuild this roster our chances of becoming a free agent destination are reduced severely.

I agree with all of this. I think there are degrees of irrelevance. Teams that bottom out completely tend to get stuck at the bottom (e.g. Detroit, Charlotte, Minnesota for a long time). Really, we also fall into that category.

The Chicago Bulls have been a laughing stock organization for far too long. Being a team that competes and actively tries to win is the only way to change that reputation.

I believe that competing and trying to win isn't the only way to change a reputation. Like, OKC or the Spurs have never really been laughingstocks even when they were obviously tanking. And If you think about it, part of the reason we're a laughingstock is BECAUSE we're competing and actively trying to win.

What this gets to is that, really, the only way to not be perceived as incompetent is to be... you guessed it... competent.

The likely truth is that the Bulls management is bad, so they'll be bad at whatever path they take. That's why we're a joke. Not because we tank or not, but because we are laughably managed.

There's no idiot proof strategy, except to not be an idiot.

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As others have eloquently put it, is it really tanking if we're already in the lottery and our future trajectory all but assures it too?

This is what I was getting at above. Being an idiot, being a laughingstock, fundamentally comes about by not recognizing the situation you're in. The Bulls are a joke because they don't recognize that their status quo sucks.

But... don't forget that there are many ways to be an idiot. Another way that teams beclown themselves is by not even making a pretext of being competitive. The process Sixers. The Bulls post-Jimmy. Pistons or Hornets. Etc. Don't assume you can magically build experience and culture if you tear it down to the studs.

For the Bulls, the strategy should be simple.
1. Recognize the situation.
2. Respect the game.

Specifically 1. Recognize the situation means
1. Move Caruso for the best possible deal. He has the best value and we need assets to change the situation in the long run.
2. Move Drummond for the best possible deal. He has some value and we need assets.
3. Too late to do anything with LaVine. The only choice is to hold him and hope he can show he's healthy.
4. Vucevic is an ideal tank commander. He'll be a double-double machine in loss after loss. If we could move him for anything useful, I certainly would, but I'm not trading a pick or taking pure deadweight to move him because our situation demands us to not spend future assets that way.

Specifically 2. Respect the game
5. Conditionally move DeRozan (because 1. Recognize the situation) but balance that against the fact that you're already moving Caruso and Drummond, and DeRozan has a high value on court and in the locker room, and frankly, around the league, but a very questionable trade value. This changes is DeRozan says he wants out or says he's not going to re-sign on favorable terms.

When we do trade him, we need to take care to not repeat the mistakes of the past and bring in enough competitive players so that, even if we're still objectively bad, we're still good enough to field a competitive team and properly evaluate whatever young guys we bring in.

Again, I'll take the Spurs as a good example of how to rebuild without because total crap.
1. They didn't immediately tear everything down to the studs.
2. They selectively play them, but they keep around around guys like Tre Jones (and kept around DeRozan as long as practicable) so they can properly evaluate the progress of guys like Wemby and Murray, Vassell, etc.

[MrSparkle]

Well, like the last 3 deadlines… It’s legitimately hard to make any moves when 3 of your starters are out indefinitely with major injuries (I guess Pat is a minor injury). I would’ve hoped they AK had moved pieces earlier, but at this point, it really feels like any moves will be for the sake of making moves. I don’t blame him for not dumping Demar for Fournier and a late 1st, or Caruso for anything short of a solid package.

I also don’t buy into smoke like “Philly’s buying”. They’re in trouble with Embiid out. They have to make some very smart decisions, and they need to think about 24/25, very carefully. That takes another win-now buyer off the market.

I think Miami will quietly try minor tweaks, so I expect them to inquire about Caruso and Drummond. Just don’t like the idea of buying high on Spo-Riley goods, and they don’t have disposable picks. Maybe Vasquez/Jovic for AC.

I’d immediately hang up on the Bucks, Mavs, Suns, Lakers. They’d be interested in Jevon or Drummond. But- no picks… mediocre back end players… what’s the point?

Leaves the Knicks as a buy candidate. They’re still 1-2 moves away. IMO, the Wizards will be the biggest sellers, as they have Poole, Gafford and Kuzma just sitting their waiting to help a buy-low playoff team. Not sure those are Thibs players. Caruso is- maybe Thibs convinces the FO to give up 2 picks. Tho after the OG trade, I think they need 1 more scorer (Demar).

GSW will try to gain a rotation player with CP3. At this point, again, he makes no sense for Chicago, and Kuminga/Podz. aren’t even going to be considered for trades. They might make a limp offer for Caruso and Demar, but honestly, they don’t fit that team’s needs.

[FriedRise]

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[sco]

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That price feels like market for AD. That said, I'd much rather keep him. He is probably someone we can keep at a reasonable price and be a top 10 back-up C.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

I would offload Drummond for the best offer we can get, but I don’t see the Bulls trading him for two distant seconds.

[aguifs]

It's important for Coby and Paw keep flirting with playoffs. The only trade I would look for is unload Zach.

[jnrjr79]

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Drummond is a lot better than Tillman, but ok, whatever.

[dawhizz]

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[aguifs]

First rounder hmmmm

[Red8911]

It’s fine to trade Drummond for picks but there also has to be a plan to acquire a back up center whether in that trade or another. Vuc is pretty much the only center on the roster if Drummond leaves.

[FriedRise]

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[2weekswithpay]

Drummond for a first sounds too good to be true. It'll probably be a few years away or heavily protected if not both. I'll take 3 2nds since we don't have any until 2028.

[Andi Obst]

I feel sorry for the people who still have hope that the Bulls are actually going to do something meaningful.

[Hangtime84]

I feel sorry for the people who still have hope that the Bulls are actually going to do something meaningful.

AKME: “I feel like we got two free agents this off season. “

[NecessaryEvil]

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Holy hell man ......

[Muzbar]

It’s fine to trade Drummond for picks but there also has to be a plan to acquire a back up center whether in that trade or another. Vuc is pretty much the only center on the roster if Drummond leaves.

Uhhh, that's what Terry Taylor is for... duh.

[Wingy]

Drummond for a first sounds too good to be true. It'll probably be a few years away or heavily protected if not both. I'll take 3 2nds since we don't have any until 2028.

The Spurs got a solid first for near-washed Thad Young who didn’t even end up playing that much for the Raptors. Anything’s possible.

[jump]

It still leaves unanswered: Who is the back up C? Management can't expect to be competitive (even at their current level) without a back up Center. That's why I don't thing Drummond gets traded.