#5: Chicago Bulls trade Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso to the Detroit Pistons for the 5th pick
Chicago Bulls select Reed Sheppard
This trade was suggested by Bulls writer Sam Smith, who thinks Detroit is the best trade option for the Bulls.
In this trade, the Bulls send LaVine’s contract to the Pistons for the 5th pick but have to sacrifice Alex Caruso to do it. If the Bulls didn’t want to go this young, they could keep Caruso and swap picks instead, but this trade would give the Bulls a chance to add young impact talent and still compete next season around DeMar DeRozan and Coby White.
Caruso is an expiring contract and may not come back to Chicago anyway, so if they have to sacrifice him to get rid of LaVine’s three years, so be it.
The Bulls draft Caruso’s replacement in Reed Sheppard, who fills two needs for the Bulls as the best shooter in the draft who is also a very good defender.
He can play on or off the ball, acting as the secondary playmaker and can take on the tougher guard assignments on defense.
The Bulls clear over $50 million in cap space and still retain their 11th pick to add more young talent.