Bulls Trade Deadline Prediction Thread

[Guru]

It’s remarkable how inactive they have been after the initial offseason flurry. Even the best teams in the league make minor deals around the fringes to improve the team but they’ve literally just trotted out the same players.

They have not trotted out the same players.

Highest 8 players MPG over the last 3 years.
2021-22 - DDR, LaVine, Ball, Vuc, Caruso, White, Ayo & Williams.
2022-23 - DDR, LaVine, Vuc, Williams, Beverley, Ayo, Caruso & White.
2023-24 - DDR, White, LaVine, Vuc, Ayo, Caruso, Williams & Green.

They've literally trotted out the exact same players for 3 straight seasons with the exception of trying to find temporary replacements for Lonzo.

Is 2024-2025 not a year?

[riselife]

.

[Red8911]

KC said he would be surprised if AKME decided to sit it out at this deadline…so I suppose we might get some action. Vuc is a higher likelihood than Zach imo.

KC clearly has amnesia, or he's slept the last few deadlines.

I'd be more surprised if they actually did something.

KC is like 90% wrong with these things. For a reporter who is around the team all the time you would think he would have more insider info.

Not saying the Bulls won’t make moves but don’t fully trust what he says.

[ChiTownHero1992]

They have not trotted out the same players.

They've literally trotted out the exact same players for 3 straight seasons with the exception of trying to find temporary replacements for Lonzo.

Is 2024-2025 not a year?

To be fair that doesn't really help your argument either it is the same team minus basically 2 players (Giddey for DeRozan and Smith for Caruso), It has been the same core for 4 years and nothing is happening or changing, in fact were getting WORSE yearly:

2021-22 - DDR, LaVine, White, Vuc, Ball, Williams, Ayo, Caruso - 46-36
2022-23 - DDR, LaVine, White, Vuc, Beverley, Williams, Ayo, Caruso - 40-42
2023-24 - DDR, Lavine, White, Vuc, Green, Williams, Ayo, Caruso - 39-43
2024-25 - Giddey, Lavine, White, Vuc, Ball, Williams, Ayo, Smith - on pace for 34-48

[Guru]

The initial poster said "Even the best teams make minor deals" It's inarguable that we have made minor deals.

[Guru]

It's hard and fruitless but fun to try to predict trades. It's easier to name what you want to have happened 1 week from today.

For me what I want is
1. Buz is getting starter minutes
2. Vuc is on another team
3. A young bouncy rim running C
4. Something for Craig and Carter
5. Hold on to Lavine
6. Trade White

The last one is the most contentious I think.

I have tiers of who I'd like to hold on to.
Tier 1
I really like Ayo, Giddey, Smith, Lavine, Ball....but I see the argument to trade any and all of them.
Tier 2
I think there is still major roles for Terry and Pwill, and their story isn't finished. I'd love to keep them around.
Tier 3
I don't know what to think about Phillips. Can go either way
Tier 4
The it's probably wise to trade
THT-He's a sparkplug that could fit great on a very good team
White-We don't want to pay him and his value is probably at its highest
Duarte-I can go either way here. He's an afterthought with his usage
Tier 5
The gotta gos: Vuc-Craig-Carter

As I go down the tiers I would be progressively less frustrated if they are traded....but I see the point of trading everyone at every tier.

If the team we build with starting February 7th is....I am excited.
1 Giddey-Ayo
2 Ball-Terry
3 Lavine
4 Buz-Pwill
5 Smith

[Tetlak]

We won't do anything.

[Chi town]

If AK does move Vuc or Lavine we will be losing our pick which they have made clear they want to keep.

I will be surprised if Lavine goes.
Expect Vuc to be gone.

[boozapalooza]

KC said he would be surprised if AKME decided to sit it out at this deadline…so I suppose we might get some action. Vuc is a higher likelihood than Zach imo.

KC clearly has amnesia, or he's slept the last few deadlines.

I'd be more surprised if they actually did something.

KC is like 90% wrong with these things. For a reporter who is around the team all the time you would think he would have more insider info.

Not saying the Bulls won’t make moves but don’t fully trust what he says.

Surprised at this sentiment. KC is probably the only Bulls beat reporter who can be trusted imo, and from my experience always seems to be in the know when something is about to happen. I don’t think he throws things out there unless theres some validity.

[Ccwatercraft]

It's hard and fruitless but fun to try to predict trades. It's easier to name what you want to have happened 1 week from today.

For me what I want is
1. Buz is getting starter minutes
2. Vuc is on another team
3. A young bouncy rim running C
4. Something for Craig and Carter
5. Hold on to Lavine
6. Trade White

The last one is the most contentious I think.

I have tiers of who I'd like to hold on to.
Tier 1
I really like Ayo, Giddey, Smith, Lavine, Ball....but I see the argument to trade any and all of them.
Tier 2
I think there is still major roles for Terry and Pwill, and their story isn't finished. I'd love to keep them around.
Tier 3
I don't know what to think about Phillips. Can go either way
Tier 4
The it's probably wise to trade
THT-He's a sparkplug that could fit great on a very good team
White-We don't want to pay him and his value is probably at its highest
Duarte-I can go either way here. He's an afterthought with his usage
Tier 5
The gotta gos: Vuc-Craig-Carter

As I go down the tiers I would be progressively less frustrated if they are traded....but I see the point of trading everyone at every tier.

If the team we build with starting February 7th is....I am excited.
1 Giddey-Ayo
2 Ball-Terry
3 Lavine
4 Buz-Pwill
5 Smith

Excellent post, no serious flaws or unrealistic expectations no name blaming, just practical things that should be considered and probably/hopefully are on a whiteboard somewhere important

[waffle]

I stand by my prediction. 1 or 2 minor moves just so they can claim "hey, we tried man we tried!"

[dougthonus]

I was listening to the Dunc'd on mock trade deadline podcast, and if we got done what Nate did as the Bulls GM, I would be beside myself with joy.

I believe it was something like:
Zach LaVine -> Lakers for their 29 unprotected pick and bad salaries
Vuc -> Warriors for their 1st Anderson and some bad salaries
Coby -> OKC for philly 1st

[League Circles]

I was listening to the Dunc'd on mock trade deadline podcast, and if we got done what Nate did as the Bulls GM, I would be beside myself with joy.

I believe it was something like:
Zach LaVine -> Lakers for their 29 unprotected pick and bad salaries
Vuc -> Warriors for their 1st Anderson and some bad salaries
Coby -> OKC for philly 1st

IMO that Zach deal sounds terrible but the Vuc one could be OK, though mostly looks like it would add salary to us, so it's making us worse on the court for the next year and a half and adds salary beyond that in exchange for probably a mid first rounder. The Coby deal could be Ok depending on what salary comes back.

[Chi town]

I was listening to the Dunc'd on mock trade deadline podcast, and if we got done what Nate did as the Bulls GM, I would be beside myself with joy.

I believe it was something like:
Zach LaVine -> Lakers for their 29 unprotected pick and bad salaries
Vuc -> Warriors for their 1st Anderson and some bad salaries
Coby -> OKC for philly 1st

Yeah. Uh. None of those are close to happening.

AK won’t take bad salaries. He should though.

Teams won’t be sending 1sts for our players.

[Muzbar]

I was listening to the Dunc'd on mock trade deadline podcast, and if we got done what Nate did as the Bulls GM, I would be beside myself with joy.

I believe it was something like:
Zach LaVine -> Lakers for their 29 unprotected pick and bad salaries
Vuc -> Warriors for their 1st Anderson and some bad salaries
Coby -> OKC for philly 1st

The Lakers have to send at least 4 players just to match Zachs salary. That'll never happen.

I doubt the Warriors will send a FRP for Vuc, I doubt any team will.

I'd be aiming for the Miami FRP (lottery protected this year, completely unprotected next year).

[MrSparkle]

The crazy thing about taking bad salaries (let alone FRPs, on top of them), is we’d go from bad, to a little more bad. Which is just about the best scenario this bleak team can hope for.

The guys you want putting up numbers (Pat, Ayo, Matas, Phillips, Terry, Smith) will do just that, with the scoring void. I can’t imagine the defense getting worse. How could that possibly happen? The hustle, speed and length alone would be an instant upgrade. Defense (with horrible shooting) doesn’t win you games like it used to, but it can make you about as competitive as we currently are (not competitive, consistently).

And we’ll lose more games to get in that Flag/Bailey/Harper zone. Top-3 in this draft would be the fix this dead-end team needs.

Coby and Zach particularly could be very good pickups for deep teams. It won’t look pretty if both blast their 3P% up. But Coby’s isn’t getting another MLE contract if that’s the case, and spending all this money on a net negative starting lineup is ludicrous.

[Guru]

If AK does move Vuc or Lavine we will be losing our pick which they have made clear they want to keep.

I will be surprised if Lavine goes.
Expect Vuc to be gone.

Why would we be losing our pick?

[Guru]

KC clearly has amnesia, or he's slept the last few deadlines.

I'd be more surprised if they actually did something.

KC is like 90% wrong with these things. For a reporter who is around the team all the time you would think he would have more insider info.

Not saying the Bulls won’t make moves but don’t fully trust what he says.

Surprised at this sentiment. KC is probably the only Bulls beat reporter who can be trusted imo, and from my experience always seems to be in the know when something is about to happen. I don’t think he throws things out there unless theres some validity.

KC is like a scarecrow.....outstanding in his field.

[Guru]

I was listening to the Dunc'd on mock trade deadline podcast, and if we got done what Nate did as the Bulls GM, I would be beside myself with joy.

I believe it was something like:
Zach LaVine -> Lakers for their 29 unprotected pick and bad salaries
Vuc -> Warriors for their 1st Anderson and some bad salaries
Coby -> OKC for philly 1st

Id need to call my doctor because things would not be right for more than 4 hours.

[Bulldog23]

I would be surprised if anything happens. AK has ruined the value of these players.