The Chicago Bulls are finally entering a rebuild. They traded Alex Caruso for a young point guard and helped DeMar DeRozan land in Sacramento. The Bulls got younger and more athletic, but they have been unable to find new homes for Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.
LaVine has three years and $138 million remaining on his contract. In the age of the second tax apron, the two-time All-Star’s deal has become immovable. The Bulls would have to attach multiple picks to trade him or Vucevic, which is not something a franchise wants to do in a rebuild.
The Bulls roster is a problem. LaVine will demand significant minutes when healthy, but Chicago’s building blocks are guards. With an All-Star playing 30-plus every night, they must get creative to help their young talent blossom. It could lead to difficult decisions, locker room tension, and stunted development if not done properly.
Bulls' glut of guards will hurt their young building blocks
Coby White broke out last season and his numbers went up significantly after LaVine was injured on Nov. 28. The two-time All-Star did return for seven games in January before undergoing season-ending foot surgery. White averaged over 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game over his final 60 contests, and the 24-year-old is unquestionably a building block in Chicago.
The Bulls just traded for Josh Giddey and have drafted Ayo Dosunmu and Dalen Terry in recent years. The only way their four guards under 25 grow is with playing time and repetitions. Giddey and White need the ball in their hands to be at their best, but finding those opportunities will be limited by the veterans.
LaVine is not the only one. Lonzo Ball is expected to return after missing two full seasons with multiple knee injuries. Can he regain his form and command playing time? There is serious doubt, but Ball was impressive when fans last saw him on the court. The Bulls also have Jevon Carter, who figures to be glued to the bench because of their guard depth.
Chicago fans will scream at their television sets as LaVine dribbles into a long two or hoists a 3-pointer without moving the ball. He is an elite scorer, but the 29-year-old is not leading a contender.
It is time to see what Josh Giddey and Coby White can do with the keys to the offense. Sadly, the Bulls cannot find a taker for LaVine, and it is impossible to write him off completely with three years and massive dollars remaining on his contract.
This saga is just beginning. The Chicago Bulls must extend Giddey before the start of the regular season, and White has just two years left on his rookie deal. They need to find out what they have before overpaying and creating another LaVine contract situation.
Ironically, it is the two-time All-Star standing in the way of that happening. The Bulls created this mess, and there is no easy solution. The result will likely hampers their development as LaVine gets buckets, but maybe Chicago’s front office will surprise everyone. Fans can only hope.