The perfect way to describe the Chicago Bulls is a team in limbo. The Bulls don't necessarily have the firepower to compete in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. However, the abundance of young talent, former All-Stars, and sound veterans is enough to maintain a near .500 record.
Chicago's leading scorers are its oldest and third-oldest players on the roster. Furthermore, these two veterans, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, have heard their names in trade rumors for years. Besides its two certified stars, the Bulls roster several up-and-coming veterans such as Coby White, Patrick Williams, and Ayo Dosonmu, not to mention Josh Giddey who's still only 22 years old.
There's no way around it; the Bulls have numerous talented pieces. Yet, Chicago needs to detect a concise direction. Whether it be acquiring another star or veteran to add to a formidable core or packaging LaVine and Vucevic to acquire draft picks and young talent, the decision must come sooner rather than later. Below, we've identified three trade candidates to bolster the existing roster and three to prepare for the future.
3 Trade targets to help contend
3. Robert Williams III
First up comes oft-injured Robert Williams III. When healthy, Williams is a menacing force on the interior. The Portland Trail Blazers big man averages 1.7 blocks in just 20.4 minutes per game throughout his career. In every season Williams appeared in 20 or more contests, he's held a field goal percentage north of 70 percent.
The ongoing problem with the former Boston Celtic is his availability. Williams averages about 36 games played per season. He's only appeared in 60 or more games once in his career. In the season he played in 61 games, Williams averaged 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game—further demonstrating his ability.
A deep frontcourt coinciding with spotty availability has Williams on the trade block. There's no reason for the Trail Blazers to keep the 6-foot-9 center in Portland. Rip City is slated to pay Deandre Ayton $70 million over this season and next, plus it just drafted Donovan Clingan seventh-overall in June's draft. Prying Williams from Portland likely wouldn't be too difficult. Sending a youngster like Dalen Terry in addition to a salary matcher might be enough to get it finalized.
2. Nic Claxton
Continuing the trend of rebuilding teams, the Brooklyn Nets are prioritizing draft capital following the departure of Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and most recently Mikal Bridges. The Nets have performed above expectations through the early part of the season. But that doesn't mean Brooklyn would overlook an offer to add extra draft picks.
The Nets' second-highest-paid and only player tied to the organization for more than three seasons is Nic Claxton. The 6-foot-11 center offers a similar skillset to that of Williams, except his durability has stood out in recent seasons. Claxton has averaged more than 2.1 blocks and 9.2 rebounds per game from 2022 to 2024.
Valuing Claxton's worth is where things start to get tricky. For whatever reason, the Nets neglected to start the defensive stalwart to begin the season. Claxton began the year in a reserve role, averaging just 21.7 minutes per game. That instance may be an inkling that Brooklyn is willing to part with its shot-blocking big man.
The Nets already hoard draft picks, yet the more, the merrier. The financials would take some time to flesh out, especially if Chicago is keen on retaining Vucevic in this scenario. Parting with Dosonmu, some extra salary, and a few draft picks should do the trick.
1. Walker Kessler
The theme and the trend continue with the Utah Jazz's Walker Kessler. The 7-foot 22-year-old possesses phenomenal defensive potential. Of the three players listed in this group, Kessler is the only one whose ceiling remains relatively untouched. The North Carolina product has averaged 8.7 points, 8.1 boards, and 2.4 blocks through his first three seasons.
Kessler borders the line between helping contend and rebuild. He's young enough, yet playable, to make sense for both prerogatives. Due to his youth, contract, and low-usage fit, Kessler is an ideal trade candidate. Things get murky when uncovering Utah's needs. The Jazz are flush with talent but have underperformed compared to last season.
Does it make sense for Utah to trade its franchise center this early into its rebuild? Perhaps for the right return, it does. Surely, several other franchises will be inquiring about Kessler before the trade deadline (think the New Orleans Pelicans). It won't be easy acquiring the 7-footer, but the Bulls possess enough draft capital and quality players to force Utah's hand.
3 Trade targets to help tank
3. Kel'el Ware
It's not often rookies are traded before finishing their inaugural season. However, there are exceptions. In this case, the Miami Heat are a perpetually contending team with an older core making Kel'el Ware expendable. Furthermore, the Heat's starting center, Bam Adebayo, is arguably its most important player. While the hypothetical Adebayo-Ware frontcourt was a reason behind selecting Ware with the 15th pick, the duo have yet to play together this season. Plus, Adebayo has played exclusively at center for the past three seasons.
To summarize, the Heat don't necessarily need Ware unless they believe in the dual center pairing. Enter Chicago, a team without a reliable interior presence sans Vucevic, who's known for his offense anyhow. Adding Vucevic or even LaVine wouldn't be a bad idea for a team hellbent on winning.
Adebayo would more than makeup for Vucevic's defensive shortcomings, while LaVine would add an extra jolt of offense to a middling unit. This hypothetical trade is increasingly nuanced because of Ware's rookie-scale salary. Fortunately for Miami's trading endeavors, a player like Duncan Robinson is a seamless fit as a salary matcher.
2. Ausar Thompson
Initially, Ausar Thompson wasn't the choice here. Ausar's brother Amen and fellow Houston Rocket Cam Whitmore were under consideration. Upon further evaluation, neither LaVine nor Vucevic makes sense in Houston. Perhaps Coby White does, but trading White shouldn't be the Bulls' objective.
Instead, we've shifted our focus to Ausar of the Detroit Pistons, who's yet to debut this season. Thompson has dealt with recovering from blood clots discovered in March but should return to the court in the coming days. Prior to sitting out last season, the athletic forward averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. Ausar is a defensive menace who's a terror in transition. His only flaw? Shooting.
Thompson's fit in Chicago is far cleaner than it is in Detroit. The Pistons could use one of Lavine or Vucevic's services to aid in a playoff push. For what it's worth, Detroit is 10th in the East at 5-8. Thomspon isn't a typical trade candidate; he's not even mentioned in any hypothetical trade talks.
The reasoning behind Ausar's inclusion is the Pistons' wing depth and lack of shooting prowess. The young forward is known for his defense, an area Chicago needs to improve. Whereas the Pistons are above-average in defensive rating, opponent's field goal percentage, and points per game allowed. It'll likely be plenty to exchange for Thompson, but he's worth it.
1. Jarace Walker
He hasn't shown as much as Thompson and has barely surpassed Ware. Indiana Pacers' forward Jarace Walker is in his second season with only 500 minutes and 178 points under his belt. The 6-foot-8 forward was drafted eighth overall and started the season behind Obi Toppin and eventually Pascal Siakam.
Still stuck behind both the aforementioned forwards, Walker's future in Indianapolis is uncertain. He'll likely be a hot trade commodity by February. Walker has earned more minutes this season but began the year buried on the bench. The Pacers are in win-now mode following an Eastern Conference Finals appearance a season ago—and Walker's inconsistent playing time depicts he's the odd man.
If Indiana is determined to make it back to the Conference Finals, then infusing the roster with star talent should be of the utmost importance. LaVine and Vucevic are solid fits in Indiana. Myles Turner makes up for Vooch's poor rim protection, while LaVine fills the Pacers' need for a scoring wing. Even if Indiana declines both veterans, a player like Patrick Williams might make sense for the Pacers.