The Bulls should go all in for Zion

[Am2626]

I'd rather target Jabari Smith, Kuminga or even MPJ over Zion. They play more. Kuminga and MPJ may cost less to acquire.

Jabari is my dream bc I think he's a really good fit with the current roster and still has room to grow. Kuminga is definitely moving, so that just, for me, opens up more possibilities. He's a RFA and if Golden State is convinced they are going to lose him anyway maybe there just happy getting shooting (Huerter) and size (Collins/Vuc or Smith) back.

I think Kuminga would be the easiest one to get. He is out of the rotation with Golden State so his value is at a low.

[jnrjr79]

Why are people acting like Coby is the linchpin of this trade. NO already has a version of Coby, they call him CJ. They also have Murphy, Hawkins and Jones. If NO is trading Zion it's a rebuild and there going to want picks. Probably a 2028 1st bc their banking on it all crashing down in 2 years.

If you're trading for Zion, you only have limited options to improve the team. Considering neither Zion, Giddey, or Matas are high level 3 pt shooters, you may want one guy to actually space the floor.

More importantly, if you trade Coby your pathway to getting someone as good as him becomes very slim. Which you would eventually need bc I don't think you want to plan on taking 3 to 4 years to build around an injury prone (i can't believe that's a debate) player.

People hate the middle. But Zion seems like the surest way to be planted there.

I think there are far more promising power forwards who could be moved including...

If they're rebuilding, I think the idea here is you'd be involving a third team routing draft assets to NO. Something like:

Coby to third team

Third team's draft assets + expiring salary from third team & Chicago to NO + additional Chicago draft assets (e.g. 2025 pick)

Zion to Chicago

[Am2626]

Why are people acting like Coby is the linchpin of this trade. NO already has a version of Coby, they call him CJ. They also have Murphy, Hawkins and Jones. If NO is trading Zion it's a rebuild and there going to want picks. Probably a 2028 1st bc their banking on it all crashing down in 2 years.

If you're trading for Zion, you only have limited options to improve the team. Considering neither Zion, Giddey, or Matas are high level 3 pt shooters, you may want one guy to actually space the floor.

More importantly, if you trade Coby your pathway to getting someone as good as him becomes very slim. Which you would eventually need bc I don't think you want to plan on taking 3 to 4 years to build around an injury prone (i can't believe that's a debate) player.

People hate the middle. But Zion seems like the surest way to be planted there.

I think there are far more promising power forwards who could be moved including...

If they're rebuilding, I think the idea here is you'd be involving a third team routing draft assets to NO. Something like:

Coby to third team

Third team's draft assets + expiring salary from third team & Chicago to NO + additional Chicago draft assets (e.g. 2025 pick)

Zion to Chicago

That’s basically what happened with the LaVine trade. Yes would probably need a third team to make it work.

[boozapalooza]

Well, the bolded is a hypothetical. Zion has never made All-NBA.

I think we all agree Zion has that ceiling. I think we all agree there is a substantial chance he never hits that ceiling. The question is whether you'd be willing to take a gamble on a low probability outcome given its upside, and if so, how much you would invest.

He has put up numbers of an All NBA player. Its just injuries take him out of the running. No idea how you maximize his value while also preserving him for the playoffs. Might be impossible. Only hope is he needs a change a scenery, seems no one likes playing in NO.

Change in scenery won’t change anything. Either you want to be great or you don’t. Anthony Davis didn’t throw in NO because he is a professional despite being injury prone himself.

Yeah for sure…Lauri Markkanen never benefitted from a change of scenery in his career. We literally just witnessed it. It happens all the time across sports.

[Jcool0]

Well, the bolded is a hypothetical. Zion has never made All-NBA.

I think we all agree Zion has that ceiling. I think we all agree there is a substantial chance he never hits that ceiling. The question is whether you'd be willing to take a gamble on a low probability outcome given its upside, and if so, how much you would invest.

He has put up numbers of an All NBA player. Its just injuries take him out of the running. No idea how you maximize his value while also preserving him for the playoffs. Might be impossible. Only hope is he needs a change a scenery, seems no one likes playing in NO.

Has he really put up all-nba #s? He's only played more than 60 games once, last season. His #s for that season:

23 ppg 5 rpg 5 apg, 61% TS.

This season was basically same with more rebounds, 24 rpg.

Zach Lavine
24 ppg 5 rpg 4 apg, 64% TS.

He put up 27 ppg as a sophomore, but that was at 20 years old and he's going to be 25 by the time he's in a Bulls uniform. It's been a while since he's put up interesting #s, I'd assume he'd produce like he did last 2 seasons.

People are framing the risk of getting Zion like he's an MVP caliber player that can carry a team to a championship if he's healthy ala Joker or Luka...has he really ever been that good even when healthy? Let's also factor in he's not a defender, he's not a rim protector and he obviously isn't locking anyone up out in space like an elite guard defender. When healthy and at his best, he's an All-Star.

Lavine's best year: 58 games: 27 ppg on 50/41 with 5 rebounds and 4.9 assists with a 21.5 PER on/off -0.5 VORP 3.1 ORtg 115

Zion's best year: 61 games: 27 ppg on 61% with 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists with a 27 PER on/off 5.6 VOPR 4 ORtng 124

In a 24 game sample before NO shut him down Zion was averaging 25 ppg on 60% shooting with 7 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

[sco]

Coby White
Patrick Williams
2025 first rounder
2026 first rounder (top 10 overall protected)
Portland first rounder

You can’t trade consecutive 1st round picks.

Normally not, but you can on draft night (essentially have NO tell you who they want) and technically make the trade after.

[burlydee]

I'd rather target Jabari Smith, Kuminga or even MPJ over Zion. They play more. Kuminga and MPJ may cost less to acquire.

Jabari is my dream bc I think he's a really good fit with the current roster and still has room to grow. Kuminga is definitely moving, so that just, for me, opens up more possibilities. He's a RFA and if Golden State is convinced they are going to lose him anyway maybe there just happy getting shooting (Huerter) and size (Collins/Vuc or Smith) back.

I think Kuminga would be the easiest one to get. He is out of the rotation with Golden State so his value is at a low.

He's also an RFA so has some power to direct his next destination with GS having little leverage. They'd probably welcome a sign and trade. I see this as much the same gamble as they made on Giddey. A young guy underperforming because he doesn’t fit his current team.

[sco]

Why are people acting like Coby is the linchpin of this trade. NO already has a version of Coby, they call him CJ. They also have Murphy, Hawkins and Jones. If NO is trading Zion it's a rebuild and there going to want picks. Probably a 2028 1st bc their banking on it all crashing down in 2 years.

If you're trading for Zion, you only have limited options to improve the team. Considering neither Zion, Giddey, or Matas are high level 3 pt shooters, you may want one guy to actually space the floor.

More importantly, if you trade Coby your pathway to getting someone as good as him becomes very slim. Which you would eventually need bc I don't think you want to plan on taking 3 to 4 years to build around an injury prone (i can't believe that's a debate) player.

People hate the middle. But Zion seems like the surest way to be planted there.

I think there are far more promising power forwards who could be moved including...

If they're rebuilding, I think the idea here is you'd be involving a third team routing draft assets to NO. Something like:

Coby to third team

Third team's draft assets + expiring salary from third team & Chicago to NO + additional Chicago draft assets (e.g. 2025 pick)

Zion to Chicago

I think this is probably the best blueprint. I'm not down on Coby in general, but his value to us goes down when we add a #1 scorer. We'd be better off starting Ball.

[bullskokie]

G Giddey, Jones, Ball
G Huerter, Dosunmo
F Buzelis, Phillips, Terry
F Williamson, Smith
C Vucevic, Collins

When healthy all year… legit #6 and up to 2nd round.

[Jcool0]

G Giddey, Jones, Ball
G Huerter, Dosunmo
F Buzelis, Phillips, Terry
F Williamson, Smith
C Vucevic, Collins

When healthy all year… legit #6 and up to 2nd round.

Do they take out NY?

[Ice Man]

Yeah for sure…Lauri Markkanen never benefitted from a change of scenery in his career. We literally just witnessed it. It happens all the time across sports.

Hmmm. Lauri and Jimmy Butler were each 25 years old in their breakout seasons. Lauri did so for Team #3, while Butler did not only at his original team, but with his original coach.

So, did Lauri benefit from a change of scenery, or like Butler did it just take him a while to figure out the NBA? That's a rhetorical question, as I don't believe that we know the answer.

[bullskokie]

G Giddey, Jones, Ball
G Huerter, Dosunmo
F Buzelis, Phillips, Terry
F Williamson, Smith
C Vucevic, Collins

When healthy all year… legit #6 and up to 2nd round.

Do they take out NY?

We will have length, IQ, defensive covers, shooting, true #1… Yes, we can take any team in the east in fact, I can see this team go deep.

[nitetrain8603]

Reading this thread is so frustrating. A star is available because they are imperfect in their current scenario such as disgruntled. So what do Bulls fans want - more mediocrity. Where is Kuminga taking you? Jabari Smith isn't available for anything short of a star. And he's not a needle mover either. Zion, when interested, is most definitely a needle mover which is what the Bulls desperately need.

MPJ? Yeah, as someone who wanted him since college (check the boards), he does nothing for you other than play the Ron Mercer role. Let's stop wasting money and what little resources the Bulls have and actually get someone who is a worthy superstar. And stop desiring mediocre players over these stars. Whether that's Zion, KD, Melo, etc.

"I don't think Zion is Chicago tuff frent" - God, I'm so sick of this mentality that Chicago fans have.

[WindyCityBorn]

He has put up numbers of an All NBA player. Its just injuries take him out of the running. No idea how you maximize his value while also preserving him for the playoffs. Might be impossible. Only hope is he needs a change a scenery, seems no one likes playing in NO.

Change in scenery won’t change anything. Either you want to be great or you don’t. Anthony Davis didn’t throw in NO because he is a professional despite being injury prone himself.

Anthony Davis forced his way out of NO and to LA. He only played 56 games his last year in part because such a distraction to the team they benched him and only starting playing him again because the league started fining the team.

Zion has been a distraction his entire career.

[WindyCityBorn]

Coby White
Patrick Williams
2025 first rounder
2026 first rounder (top 10 overall protected)
Portland first rounder

You can’t trade consecutive 1st round picks.

Normally not, but you can on draft night (essentially have NO tell you who they want) and technically make the trade after.

Pretty sure that’s an illegal workaround that has never happened. What would they trading us in 2026? We can’t just give them our pick for nothing.

[WindyCityBorn]

No to Zion.

[League Circles]

I'm probably against any specific plausible offer to get Zion. I wouldn't say Coby is untouchable for example, but I do think Coby is our most complementary player to his style, so I'd want to try to keep him. Maybe a deal with Giddey in a S&T plus more could be possible. But mostly I'm just injury-shy with him. Dealt with that enough with this org to last a lifetime.

[burlydee]

Reading this thread is so frustrating. A star is available because they are imperfect in their current scenario such as disgruntled. So what do Bulls fans want - more mediocrity. Where is Kuminga taking you? Jabari Smith isn't available for anything short of a star. And he's not a needle mover either. Zion, when interested, is most definitely a needle mover which is what the Bulls desperately need.

MPJ? Yeah, as someone who wanted him since college (check the boards), he does nothing for you other than play the Ron Mercer role. Let's stop wasting money and what little resources the Bulls have and actually get someone who is a worthy superstar. And stop desiring mediocre players over these stars. Whether that's Zion, KD, Melo, etc.

"I don't think Zion is Chicago tuff frent" - God, I'm so sick of this mentality that Chicago fans have.

My mentality is that he's hurt constantly, this has nothing to do with Chicago tough. The "imperfection" is he doesn’t play.

The Bulls are not one move away. It's not like they get Zion and they are a top 4 team in the East. Let's build a team, piece by piece. Stop trying to cheat the process.

Zion is not a Superstar. He's played zero playoff games in six years. Either his teams haven't been good enough or he hasn't been healthy. There are better risks.

[Bulliever2020]

Reading this thread is so frustrating. A star is available because they are imperfect in their current scenario such as disgruntled. So what do Bulls fans want - more mediocrity. Where is Kuminga taking you? Jabari Smith isn't available for anything short of a star. And he's not a needle mover either. Zion, when interested, is most definitely a needle mover which is what the Bulls desperately need.

MPJ? Yeah, as someone who wanted him since college (check the boards), he does nothing for you other than play the Ron Mercer role. Let's stop wasting money and what little resources the Bulls have and actually get someone who is a worthy superstar. And stop desiring mediocre players over these stars. Whether that's Zion, KD, Melo, etc.

"I don't think Zion is Chicago tuff frent" - God, I'm so sick of this mentality that Chicago fans have.

My mentality is that he's hurt constantly, this has nothing to do with Chicago tough. The "imperfection" is he doesn’t play.

The Bulls are not one move away. It's not like they get Zion and they are a top 4 team in the East. Let's build a team, piece by piece. Stop trying to cheat the process.

Zion is not a Superstar. He's played zero playoff games in six years. Either his teams haven't been good enough or he hasn't been healthy. There are better risks.

Preach.
I feel like I'm in bizarro world when people are talking up Zion like he's a young Lebron or Wembanyama level prospect. Dude has won and done NOTHING in this league so far. Or college either for that matter.

[The Box Office]

The Bulls should go all in for Giannis. But this Bulls board said it's impossible. We had to move on from our dreams of obtaining Giannis.