It's no secret that the Chicago Bulls have been shopping guard Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic.
Lonzo Ball has joined them on the trade block, per recent reports.
As the team wins more games and remains dangerously close to losing its first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft (if it lands outside the top 10, it conveys to the San Antonio Spurs), the anxiety level to move those winning veterans is only increasing.
Ball and his $24.1 million expiring contract is likely the easiest for Chicago to move, although the 26-year-old has arguably been the Bulls' most important player when he's on the floor.
LaVine's much larger salary, combined with his injury history and the restrictions placed on contending teams by the league's new second apron, are making it nearly impossible for the organization to find a trade partner.
Vucevic lands somewhere in the middle.
The 34-year-old center has two years and $41 million left on his contract; not cheap, but not an exorbitant amount either. And considering he's having a career year in terms of shooting efficiency and has become a sniper from three-point range, there will surely be appeal around the league from teams that could use a stretch big.
One of those franchises is consistently in the spotlight and has an aging superstar, two tell-tale signs of a team in "win now" mode. That team requires a player like Vucevic, and as Chicago is ready to shed salary and veterans, there's a potential deal that makes sense for both sides.
Lakers trade for Bulls center Nikola Vucevic in mock deal
LA and Chicago could agree to a trade that looks something like this:
LeBron James and his squad have been struggling mightily offensively, especially from three.
Over their last six games, the Lakers rank last in the league in scoring (99.8 points per game). They're 20th in field goal percentage (45.3) and 29th in three-point percentage (28.2).
LA is also 23rd in rebounding (41.3 rpg) and is 2-4 in those six contests.
“Our offense is nasty right now,” James said simply per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick lamented his team's lack of size in a 109-80 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 2.
“They’re a big team,” Redick said via Buha. “We’ve played a lot of these teams lately. Last night was three basically 7-footers in the starting lineup. (Jaden) McDaniels, (Julius) Randle, (Naz) Reid, (Rudy) Gobert, like, they’re a big team. If you play stagnant against them, they’re gonna give you problems.”
Vucevic will never be mistaken for a rim protector and is slow-footed at best, but he's averaging 20.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season on shooting splits of 58/48/84.
There's no denying he would give the Lakers a boost offensively and on the boards, and a stretch five is always a solid fit next to LeBron.
Grading the trade for the Bulls
Priority No. 1 for Chicago for the rest of the 2024-25 season should be to lose as many games as possible to not only keep its first-round pick but have it land as close to the top of the draft as possible.
Priority No. 2 should be the development of young players, and priority No. 3 should be shedding salary.
This move would accomplish all three, even if the return isn't ideal.
Russell would likely be forwarded to another team, given Chicago's glut of young guards. Reddish would play out the remainder of his contract and move on.
Vucevic's price around the league reportedly sits at a pair of second-round picks. The Bulls land that package and a second-round swap as a small sweetener, plus the return they could get for Russell.