The trade deadline is a month away, so what should the Chicago Bulls do with their players?
The NBA trade deadline is approaching. The Chicago Bulls have a lot of decisions to make. Here are the players that I think the Bulls should trade.
1) Nikola Mirotic
What a crazy season for Nikola Mirotic. He missed the first 23 games of the season due to injuries he suffered in a altercation with Bobby Portis in practice. Everyone around the world has been surprised by the way he has played. He is playing with a lot of confidence and was a big reason why the team won seven straight games.
January 15 is the day where Niko becomes trade eligible. There is no reason for Niko to finish the season with the Bulls. He is not part of your future. The way Niko has played since his return should have brought his trade value up. Bulls could easily get a second rounder or even a late first rounder for Niko.
2) Justin Holiday
This past offseason the Bulls signed Justin Holiday to a two-year, $9 million deal. Holiday has had a solid season for the Bulls. He is a player on the Bulls that will take the most shots in a game.
There have been games where his been really good, and there have been games where he has been really bad. Holiday is a good shooter, but the Bulls don’t really need him for the future. He has a decent value in the trade market and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bulls try to trade him.
3) Robin Lopez
Robin Lopez is a really good player, and also a phenomenal teammate. He is a player that can score and defend. In the end of the day the Bulls are rebuilding, and you have to do whatever it takes to get a top three pick in the upcoming draft. I love the way Lopez plays, but again he isn’t part of your future. Lopez is a true team player that will always have his teammates back.
He deserves to win a championship, and if I was the Bulls I would trade him to a playoff team. It would be hard to trade Lopez because he is such a great guy, but you have to do it.
4) Paul Zipser, Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis
Zipser, Valentine, and Portis are three interesting players. I think Bobby Portis would be a player that every team wants to have. He is energetic and will do all the little things. Portis has expanded his game as he can now make three pointers.
Paul Zipser has really struggled this season. There are games where he doesn’t play, and there are games where does. The games where he plays he doesn’t take advantage of the opportunity. I have no idea what the Bulls saw in him. The Bulls should try to trade him, but there is probably no value for him.
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I haven’t made my decision on Denzel Valentine, but trading him should be an option. He has had a very solid season. The problem with Valentine is that he continues to make a lot of mistakes. If the Bulls receive offers for him, then they should definitely consider trading him.
I would be very surprised if the Bulls don’t trade at least two players. My best guess is that Nikola Mirotic and Robin Lopez are traded. The Bulls have to do whatever it takes to get a top three pick in the 2018 NBA draft. You have to embrace the suck.