The Chicago Bulls have several moving parts to address in the final week before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. At least, that's according to most reports *crosses fingers*.
Trading Zach LaVine, despite his desire to remain in Chicago, would be the golden goose for the franchise. Ridding themselves of their best player and the $90-plus million left on his contract over the next two seasons would be the ideal way to jumpstart the Bulls' roster retool.
It's not only LaVine, though, that Chicago should be attempting to part ways with. In fact, dealing LaVine is more of a hope than a reality; trading 34-year-old center Nikola Vucevic seems far more realistic.
Moving Lonzo Ball, Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter would be helpful, but none of them would fetch a significant return for the Bulls. Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, though, moving Vucevic presents a far more appealing scenario for Chicago—at least if the Bulls' front office gets what it's asking for.
Bulls refusing to lower asking price for Nikola Vucevic
Chicago reportedly wants a first-round pick in exchange for its veteran big man. Is Vucevic playing well enough to warrant such a high price? Offensively, sure. But his age and one-way skill set are holding his value down.
Fischer points out that Vucevic is shooting near 40 percent from three this season in addition to his 54.6 percent shooting from the field. The two-time All-Star is averaging a double-double and having the most efficient shooting season of his career.
Still, teams aren't willing to part with the kind of draft capital Chicago is stubbornly holding out for, which Fischer explained in a Bleacher Report video:
""The word we keep hearing is that the Bulls are holding out for a first-round pick for Nikola Vucevic, which, to our understanding, to my understanding, is too steep of a price.""NBA insider Jake Fischer
Fischer mentions the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers as potential landing spots, but unsurprisingly, both franchises are put off by the Bulls' asking price. He reports the Lakers, in particular, no longer have Vucevic on their radar, as they're not ready to part with a first-rounder.
The Warriors continue to be the team most often linked to Vucevic, and Fischer adds that the veteran center would be open to leaving Chicago for Golden State. But like the Lakers, the Warriors aren't willing to part with a first-round selection.
There's more of a likelihood Golden State meets the Bulls halfway in a deal, however, than Los Angeles.
Teams have less than a week to iron out a trade, and Chicago may have to settle for some package of second-round picks if they're dead set on moving Vucevic.
Stay tuned here for more news and the latest Bulls trade rumors.