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Chicago Bulls: Lakers SG Josh Hart worth pursuing

By Andrew Miller

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 15: Josh Hart #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Ryan Arcidiacono #51 of the Chicago Bulls talk before the game on January 15, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 15: Josh Hart #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Ryan Arcidiacono #51 of the Chicago Bulls talk before the game on January 15, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers could be busy on the free agent and trade markets this summer, especially if the front office feels Josh Hart is disposable.

Anything the Chicago Bulls can do this off-season to upgrade in the back court is important to the ultimate success of this franchise. Building out from the short-term needs at point guard and shooting guard, at least in terms of depth in the rotation, could start with adding some young talent through the free agent and/or trade market this summer. One of the key targets that the Bulls should focus on this summer is the Los Angeles Lakers second-year shooting guard Josh Hart.

What Josh Hart brought to the table for the Lakers for the past two seasons is something that the front office there might not want around for very long. Josh Hart was one of the more up and down pieces for the Lakers these past two seasons. He’s definitely shown some flashes that he could become special a few years down the road.

This former Villanova Wildcats national title winner Josh Hart isn’t set to be a free agent this summer, but he does have a 2020 club option. If the Lakers don’t plan to exercise that team option in regard to Hart’s contract situation, it might be worth looking to set what the franchise can get for him this off-season.

We are already past the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline, so any team’s chances of bringing Hart into the mix from the struggling Lakers ran out. There were a host of deadline targets that teams around the NBA had amid the Lakers trade pieces. Although there weren’t any legitimate trade rumors between the Bulls and Hart, this is a deal that has some intrigue to it.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers were prepared to ship out the entire young core for this team, including Josh Hart, if a trade deal worked out with the New Orleans Pelicans for superstar Anthony Davis at the deadline. That trade proposal with the Pelicans also included key young pieces like Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.

The potential pairing in the rotation at shooting guard between Josh Hart and the breakthrough scoring threat Zach LaVine is pretty ideal in the Windy City. If the Bulls could do anything to work out the framework for a deal like this with a team that could be a seller this of-season like the Lakers is well worth looking into.

In terms of what Hard did during his time with the Lakers in the NBA so far, there’s some good takeaways and some worrying signs. The fact that his player efficiency rating sits below 10 in his second year in the NBA is concerning.

If he can return to his three-point shooting production he was at as a rookie, Hart is a nice player to get open looks from outside the arc. He shot better than 39 percent from three-point range last season.

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There are some defensive breakthroughs for Hart this season that indicates that he has the potential to become a solid two-way player with more progression next year. He also posted an offensive rating at 116 as a rookie. Continuing to develop his defensive prowess while finding the shooting rhythm Hart had last season is key to making him a very valuable target for a team like the Bulls this summer.

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