3 Way-too-early Bulls trade deadline predictions: Fact or Fiction?
By all accounts, the Chicago Bulls offseason was a middling success. They made a few moves to improve at the margins, but they failed to make a game-changing move to surge back into contention in a a competitive Eastern Conference. Sure Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley filled some holes at guard and forward during free agency but are Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig really going to help the Bulls compete for a deep playoff push?
The front office also inked outgoing free agents Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and Chicago native Ayo Dosunmu to relatively team-friendly extensions while Andre Drummond picked up his player option. The Bulls still have a $10.2m dollar DPE stemming from Lonzo Ball’s career-threatening knee injuries but if history tells us anything, Jerry Reinsdorf will not use that money to dip into the luxury tax as the franchise has only done this once in their entire existence.
So what will the Chicago Bulls look like after this years trade deadline? Let’s first go over the most likely of these potential scenarios together.
The Chicago Bulls must decide between three distinct paths before the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline rolls around.
1. The new signings are enough to carry the Bulls through the postseason
The current roster exceeds expectations without having to use their DPE and can mirror the same success with Jevon Carter or Coby White commanding the offense that they had early in the 2021-22 season when Lonzo Ball led the Bulls to a brilliant 22-13 start to the season.
Scenario one seems like the longest shot of all as I don’t see Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig making a strong enough impact on the floor with the current roster. Jevon Carter does bring a strong perimeter defensive presence and the ability to shoot an impressive 40% clip from three while Torrey Craig provides a similar addition at the forward position.
That being said, neither has the ability to make a strong enough impact on the offensive end to propel the Bulls into the playoffs.
Verdict: Fiction