If there’s any disgruntled star that the Chicago Bulls have the chance to lure to the Windy City via the trade route, then they should make it happen.
Entering the 2020 offseason, all options should be on the table for the new Chicago Bulls front office regime to explore to try and better the direction of this rebuild right away. The Bulls finished up the 2019-20 season prior to the novel coronavirus pandemic-induced hiatus with a record of 22-43 through 65 games.
As one of eight teams in the NBA that will not be included in the 22-team restart plan in the “bubble” at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL, the Bulls are facing an extended offseason. Granted there could be a situation in which this team is still able to take part in some practices and scrimmage-type games in Chicago, if that plan pans out in the end.
To try and better the direction of the rebuild, the Bulls hired former Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas to replace John Paxson as the lead voice in the front office. Karnisovas will hold the official title of executive vice president of basketball operations. And he hired former Philadelphia 76ers vice president of player personnel Marc Eversley to replace Gar Forman as the Bulls next general manager.
Right away, Karnisovas and Eversley will be tasked with putting a plan in place to keep the rebuild from collapsing, or throw it away entirely, heading into its fourth year. And a good restart to the rebuild could be finding a good trade deal to bring a new star into the mix. Finding a true star would be a way to fill a need that the Bulls had since they dished out star small forward Jimmy Butler.
Here’s a look into the four NBA stars that the Bulls should try and lure away from their current teams.
4. Chris Paul, Point Guard
One of the most underrated stars of this generation, in terms of advanced metrics despite lack of deep playoff runs, is the Oklahoma City Thunder veteran point guard Chris Paul. Even though he was supposed to be downtrodden this year, CP3 is taking the Thunder to the same level of playoff contention in the Western Conference that they were in with Russell Westbrook and Paul George last season.
CP3 was made famous during his runs with the New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans) and the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s a 10-time NBA All-Star selection, six-time steals champ, four-time assist champ, eight-time All-NBA honoree, nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, and the 2005-06 Rookie of the Year award winner.
In 63 games played with the Thunder in the season that is currently on pause, CP3 averaged 17.7 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.6 steals. He shot 48.9 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from beyond the arc, and 90.0 percent from the free-throw line. That amounted to a stellar 60.9 true shooting percentage, 4.3 box plus/minus rating, .194 win shares per 48 minutes, and a 3.2 value over replacement player rating.
The sizable contract that CP3 brings to the table from when he signed a deal with the Houston Rockets does last for two more seasons, but it could be one that is worth taking on for the Bulls. He is paid well over $40 million for each of the next two seasons, so salary matching would be difficult in a potential trade deal. If the Bulls and Thunder could make it work, then a CP3 swap could be worth it.
3. CJ McCollum, Shooting Guard
Among the more interesting names on the trade market at this point in time, that probably won’t be on the move in the end this offseason but could be if the asking price is right, is the Portland Trail Blazers standout shooting guard CJ McCollum. And the Bulls could really use some help to the backcourt rotation, depending on what Karnisovas’ plan is for shooting guard Zach LaVine.
The 2015-16 Most Improved Player of the Year award winner somehow still doesn’t have any All-Star nods yet, but it should come in due time. McCollum likely wouldn’t mind stepping out of the sidekick role, like is is in alongside star Blazers point guard Damian Lillard in the modern day, if he could get the chance elsewhere.
In 62 games played with the Blazers this season, McCollum averaged 22.5 points per game, 4.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks. He shot 45.3 percent from the field, 38.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line. That amounted to a 54.3 true shooting percentage, 1.6 value over replacement player rating, 0.9 box plus/minus rating, and a subpar .079 win shares per 48 minutes.
Depending on how the rest of the season shakes out for McCollum, Lillard, and the Blazers, the asking price on this key shooting guard could be lower than anticipated. If McCollum does somehow hit the trade block during the Blazers impending offseason, then the Bulls should be one of the first suitors in line.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns, Power Forward/Center
The result for the season so far couldn’t get much worse than it is on the surface for the Minnesota Timberwolves. After ditching that experiment that they tried a while back with “Jimmy G. Buckets” in the Twin Cities, the Timberwolves tried to hit the reset button again and build around star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
This two-time NBA All-Star selection, one-time All-NBA honoree, and 2015-16 Rookie of the Year award winner, has a very bright future in the league. And he’s starting to develop into one of the most versatile offensive weapons among big men in this day and age. He posted a stellar 64.2 true shooting percentage and 7.8 box plus/minus rating in the season that was in Minnesota.
In just 35 games played this season largely due to lingering injury issues, KAT did show flashes of taking his game to even greater heights. During those 35 games played prior to the hiatus, Towns averaged 26.5 points per game, 10.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks. He shot 50.8 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from beyond the arc, and 79.6 percent from the free-throw line.
A big man of Towns’ ability should be best used elsewhere if the Timberwolves aren’t going to be in the playoff picture anytime soon. It’s hard to say off the bat that the Bulls would get into playoff contention right away if they had KAT in the mix, but it would certainly be potent with him and LaVine in the same starting five (if the Bulls didn’t have to give up the 6-foot-6 shooting guard in a possible trade deal).
1. Ben Simmons, Point Guard
It seems like the pairing of star point guard Ben Simmons and center Joel Embiid with the Philadelphia 76ers just isn’t meant to be over the long haul. The Sixers started to get friction it seemed in the media when the team wasn’t winning on the road and started slipping down the Eastern Conference standings in the middle of the season.
But the choice between building around either Simmons or Embiid is a really difficult one. If the Sixers had to choose, then it would likely be the one that has the more longevity of the two. Both Simmons and Embiid had their fair share of injury issues since beginning their NBA careers.
If the Sixers do somehow make Simmons available in a potential trade deal, then it would be worth the Bulls reaching out to see what could be done. Landing Simmons would completely shift the direction of the Bulls rebuild, and their backcourt rotation, but it would take a ton to get him to the Windy City in the first place.
In the season that is currently on pause for Simmons and the Sixers, he averaged 16.7 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, a league leading 2.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks. He shot 58.5 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 62.7 percent from the free-throw line. He’s already garnered two All-Star selections and won the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year award.