The Chicago Bulls are approaching yet another trade deadline in need of a defined identity. Much has changed within the roster and rotation, but the Bulls face the same question as they encountered during the Zach LaVine era: Who exactly does this team want to be?
Though recent trade rumors suggest the Bulls are looking to make necessary upgrades at positions of need, it remains unclear what the timeline or identity for this team is.
Chicago has embraced something of a youth movement with 23-year-old playmaker Josh Giddey emerging as a potential franchise player. 35-year-old center Nikola Vucevic continues to play a prominent role, however, which has led many to question if he'll be moved ahead of the trade deadline.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Bulls seem to have a replacement in mind: Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis.
"While Washington, Phoenix and Chicago are known to have had some interest in Sabonis, league sources confirmed reports that Toronto is a legitimate possibility as we approach the deadline."
Sabonis offers an on-paper upgrade over Vucevic, but the Bulls would be right back where they started with an identity crisis and conflicting timelines.
Domantas Sabonis can't give Bulls a defined identity on his own
Sabonis is a three-time All-NBA honoree and two-time All-Star who has led the Association in rebounds in three consecutive seasons. Over the past six campaigns, he's averaged 19.2 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.2 offensive boards, and 6.5 assists per game.
With that level of production and proficiency as a passer, the Bulls could realistically revamp their offense with two unorthodox facilitators in Giddey and Sabonis.
The hurdle, however, is that Sabonis will turn 30 in May and is thus operating along a different timeline than the rest of the Bulls' core players. As such, it's fair to question if Chicago can realistically realize its potential before Sabonis begins exiting his athletic prime.
Perhaps acquiring Sabonis could be the precursor to another move that more clearly defines the Bulls' identity, but the last thing they need is more confusion about their direction.
As such, Sabonis isn't necessarily the great fit that his skill set admittedly allows him to be. He won't resolve the Bulls' defensive woes, nor will he elevate the team to the point of contending on his own. Instead, he'll be an upgrade over Vucevic who raises the floor more than the ceiling.
Chicago may be on to something that's unseen by this writer, but it's difficult to view a trade for Sabonis as anything more than the continuation of an identity crisis.