The rumor mill is in full swing now as the Chicago Bulls continue to linger near a postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.
As of Dec. 2, head coach Billy Donovan's team is just a half-game back of the No. 10 seed, which would put Chicago in the Play-In Tournament. Even worse, the Bulls are in danger of losing their first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft; if they don't land a top-10 selection, it will head to the San Antonio Spurs.
Two months before the league's February trade deadline, things are already approaching a critical turning point in Chicago's season.
As the Bulls win games and things continue to worsen, the more chatter is seemingly swirling in NBA circles.
Chicago has 'confidence' it can make a major trade
Last week, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and contributor to The Stein Line reported that the Bulls are prepared to trade any veteran on their roster.
In his Sunday Best, Stein piggybacked off that and made a somewhat blockbuster deal seem more like a sure thing:
"I can relay that I have heard the same and even a confidence emanating from the Windy City that the Bulls believe they will strike at least one significant deal before the Feb. 6 trade deadline to shed at least one high-profile veteran from the roster."Marc Stein
Stein wrote that, among the trio of Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, Ball is the most likely to be traded because of his $21.4 million expiring contract.
Despite LaVine and Vucevic having seasons that warrant all-star consideration, it appears Chicago is still struggling to find any trade partner that would give up anything of value in return for either veteran.
Expect news to continue leaking out as the deadline gets closer.