The NBA playoffs are showing the importance of Ben Simmons to the Sixers, and could influence and potential trade deal with a team like the Chicago Bulls.
This is the part of the offseason where trade rumors can run rampant, right after the NBA Draft Lottery. But this is obviously an offseason of a different nature and one that will have a big build up to a pretty mediocre free agent class and deep but not too impressive draft class at the top. The Chicago Bulls do have their fair share of options for what to do for the remainder of this offseason now that they own the fourth overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery.
A real looming question for the Bulls is whether they will keep or trade the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft.
If the Bulls keep it, then they have a plethora of options where they could go in the first round. Maybe even someone like point guard LaMelo Ball, big man Onyeka Okongwu, or shooting guard/small forward Deni Avdija will fall to the Bulls in the fourth slot.
But if the Bulls did trade this pick, what could they get in return for it?
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report gave his thoughts on where the Bulls could go with their fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. This Bleacher Report piece pitched the idea that the Bulls would try and get star point guard Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers. It was yet another idea from Bleacher Report that the Bulls would be giving up a ton for the return of just Simmons.
In this particular trade package, the Bulls would be giving up the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft along with power forward Lauri Markkanen, shooting guard Zach LaVine, and point guard Coby White. Once again, the Bulls would be mortgaging much of their future for the return of a player who proved in the past that he is rather injury prone.
There is no easy way for the Bulls and Sixers to construct a trade package that would get Simmons to the Windy City and a good portion of the young core to Philly. But here’s a look at what this Bleacher Report piece had to say about this particular trade package that gets Simmons to the Windy City.
"Maybe the new Bulls management, led by vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, would be hesitant to go nuclear so soon. But if the Philadelphia 76ers’ ongoing postseason implosion continues, you know there will be itchy trigger fingers in Philly.This trade would only happen if the Sixers decide Joel Embiid, not Simmons, is the guy to build around going forward.The Bulls would surrender a lot of young talent here, but that’s the cost of doing business when you’re angling for a true superstar. That’s what Simmons is, by the way, even if his jumper never comes around and even if he never truly got a chance to prove it alongside ill-fitting personnel with the Sixers.Simmons could transform the Bulls, and his unique skill set would allow them to build out the roster however they choose. Five-position defenders who can handle the ball and play point guard at 6’10” have a way of creating optionality throughout a roster."
The two-time NBA All-Star selection and 2017-18 Rookie of the Year award winner getting to Chicago could help bring new life to this rebuild heading into the fourth year. But the Bulls would obviously have to be careful with how much they would plan to give up in trade talks like this hypothetical deal.
Getting Simmons with the Bulls is not necessarily a bad move by any means. He would be an interesting fit for this rebuild without a doubt. Just like any other trade deal the Bulls could make this offseason, though, they would have to be very cautious with how they piece together the roster moving forward.
The Bulls finished up the 2019-20 season with a record of 22-43 prior to the pause mandated by the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, the Sixers are in the midst of an uphill battle, down three games to none, in their first round playoff series matchup against the Boston Celtics.