The Chicago Bulls were the surprise big player during the trade deadline, these moves could impact the team for years to come.
KEEP: Nikola Vucevic
The Bulls committed to a path to contention when they traded for two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic, and I firmly believe this was for the best. Another year in NBA purgatory would have likely led to Chicago trading away LaVine and going all the way back to where they started when the Bulls traded away Jimmy Butler in 2017.
While the experiment has thus far failed to produce wins, it’s worth keeping in mind that Vucevic only played 15 games next to his co-star. Vucevic was a force on the offensive side of things, hitting 38.8 percent of his three-point attempts and reeling in 2.3 offensive rebounds per game. Vucevic’s ability to be a threat close to the rim and beyond the arc could make for some devastating pick-and-roll action with LaVine and White.
A full summer together should give the team plenty of time to figure out the details and prove investing the future in two-time All-Star Vucevic was a worthy investment.
OUT: Al-Farouq Aminu
Speaking of the Vucevic trade, Al-Farouq Aminu was the afterthought addition necessary to make the money work for both sides. Aminu logged just 67 minutes for Chicago this season and failed to impress in that time, averaging just 1.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while failing to showcase his signature defensive chops. The Bulls were outscored by a horrendous 7.9 points
Aminu expectedly opted into his $10.2 million player option, but will likely not see the court very often. When you take into consideration the organization’s interest in bringing over European prospect Marko Simonovic, it’s going to be even harder for Aminu to find playing time with the Bulls. If nothing else, his expiring contract serves as a solid asset should Chicago look to add another piece in the trade market.
ON THE FENCE: Daniel Theis
Daniel Theis played his best basketball with the Bulls, averaging a career-high 10 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest. His presence off the bench was invaluable down the stretch and filled a position of need after the trade that sent Daniel Gafford to Washington. With Vucevic and Young being the only frontcourt players on contract next season, Chicago will certainly need to pursue quality role players down low.
The only thing that remains to be seen is if the Bulls wish to spend their limited cap space on bolstering the frontcourt, or perhaps saving it all for a splashy point guard addition like Lonzo Ball or Spencer Dinwiddie. Theis outperformed expectations in the Windy City so I wouldn’t mind seeing him suit up for the Bulls again next season, but I understand the logistics of the situation make his return questionable.