The most important question hanging over the Chicago Bulls this offseason is whether they will rebuild or stay in NBA purgatory.
The Bulls finished this season the same as the last one, though with one less win and an even bigger defeat in the play-in game.
Arturas Karnisovas promised change was coming in a recent press conference, but also indicated that a rebuild is “not in his DNA.”
"I’m thinking about winning, Karnisovas said. That’s why I’m here. I’m not here to stay in the middle. The formula that came up three years ago, I thought it was working until a couple injuries. And we’re gonna have to find these answers in this offseason. Obviously, the results are not where we want it. I totally get it. And it’s on me to figure it out."
The Bulls played well when Lonzo Ball was healthy but counting on him and Zach LaVine (not to mention a 35-year-old) DeRozan is a recipe for being right back here again next season, stuck in the same cycle.
It won’t be shocking if that’s exactly what they do, as the Bulls don’t have the trade assets or cap space to make dramatic change unless they want to tear it down.
If they do go that surprising route, here is a plan for how to do it. Some of it will be painful, but at least it will get the Bulls out of NBA purgatory and give fans some hope for the future.
Step 1: Find a trade for Zach LaVine
This isn’t going to be easy, as few teams will be willing to take on his remaining three years after he just had surgery and finished the season injured after playing only 25 games.
But there are trades out there, especially if the Bulls are willing to give him away for little more than cap relief. The Detroit Pistons have been the team most often mentioned, as they have tons of cap space and the need to make some kind of splash.
If they strike out elsewhere, a buy-low trade for Zach LaVine might work. The Pistons could send the Bulls a player like Marcus Sasser along with a bunch of second round picks, most importantly taking on LaVine’s contract and clearing $40 million from their books.