3) All-Stars Chicago Bulls could target at the deadline
Bradley Beal, Shooting Guard
It should be noted that if the Bulls found a way to get a deal done with the Washington Wizards to actually bring star shooting guard Bradley Beal to the Windy City, it would take a lot of craft and wit from the new front office regime and Donovan himself. Beal and LaVine don’t look like they would just seamlessly mesh their games together.
Beal and LaVine are both very high usage players that traditionally line up in the Bulls and Wizards starting fives, respectively, as two guards. So far this season, Beal has posted a usage rate of 35.9 percent, good for second in the NBA. And LaVine has registered a usage rate this season of 31.0 percent, also good for top 10 in the NBA.
For the third time in the last four years, Beal was an All-Star selection for the Wizards. He really deserved this one, as he’s leading the NBA in points per game this season, at 32.7. Beal is also doing so in a more efficient manner this season, as he ranks in the top 15 in the NBA in both player efficiency rating and box plus/minus rating.
The Bulls would have to get creative with the Wizards if they were to craft a deal that would match salaries, and value, with the Wizards if they wanted to get Beal to town. They would have to part ways with a significant piece of their young core, which could include someone like third-year center Wendell Carter Jr. and/or fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen.