3 trades to kickstart Bulls rebuild and enter Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes
Washington, not LA, lands DeMar DeRozan
Considering the news that the Lakers are reportedly having “internal discussions” about pursuing DeMar DeRozan in a trade, it should come as no surprise that Simmons and many others have the Bulls pegged as a perfect trade partner for the package of Russell Westbrook and two future first-round picks. However, I believe the Bulls would be wise to pursue a different direction here.
Instead, I believe it would be wise to negotiate a deal with a rival Eastern Conference team that’s looking to make a leap back into the playoffs in the Washington Wizards. This move would allow Chicago to retool the roster rather than completely imploding.
Trading DeMar DeRozan to the Wizards would help the Chicago Bulls accelerate a potential rebuild.
This deal would certainly draw the interest of the Wizards, as they’d be adding a true third All-Star talent alongside Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. After committing a massive amount of money to Beal over the summer, building a quality team around their star is essential. DeRozan makes sense for the Wizards as they have a pair of great defensive bigs in Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford as well as a multitude of lengthy wings in Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, and Corey Kispert who can compensate for DeRozan’s defensive deficiencies.
After starting the season on a solid note with an 11-10 record, making a win-now move like this could help stifle the damage of their current six-game losing streak and give fans a real reason to have hope for the future.
The Bulls, on the other hand, pick up a steadily-improving Kyle Kuzma in the midst of a career-best season. If recent reports are any indication, this would be a change of scenery that Kuzma could definitely get behind.
An NBA source believes Kyle Kuzma ‘wants out’ of DC, per @EricPincus
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 11, 2022
"He's looking for over $20 million a season and in a big market [or with a contender]." pic.twitter.com/Uy6N8hnUjh
At 27 years old, Kuzma would suit Chicago’s new timeline far better and provide an excellent high-volume three-point threat this team has been sorely lacking. It’s also important that the Bulls recoup a 2025 first-round pick after sending one away to San Antonio to acquire DeMar in the first place. After putting up 35 points and 12 rebounds in a masterful performance against the Clippers, the Wizards may never have a better opportunity to strike while the iron’s hot in a potential Kuzma trade.