The Chicago Bulls are a team that should be looking to move players off their roster when the February trade deadline rolls around. With the squad sitting three games under .500 at the moment, there isn’t a huge initiative to be buyers and make this a playoff team.
Big man Nikola Vucevic was connected to the Golden State Warriors in a trade rumor this week, but even more could be on the horizon for the Bulls.
Mock trade has the Chicago Bulls trading Zach Lavine and Torrey Craig
The mock trade from Fadeaway World has the Bulls moving on from Lavine and Craig in a deal with the Warriors, Heat, and Pistons:
Trade Details
Golden State Warriors Receive: Jimmy Butler ($48.7 million), Torrey Craig ($2.8 million)
Miami Heat Receive: Andrew Wiggins ($26.2 million), Tim Hardaway Jr. ($16.1 million), Gary Payton II ($9.1 million), 2025 Second-Round Pick (GSW)
Detroit Pistons Receive: Zach LaVine ($43.0 million), Haywood Highsmith ($5.2 million)
Chicago Bulls Receive: Tobias Harris ($25.3 million), Buddy Hield ($8.7 million), Kyle Anderson ($8.7 million), 2026 First-Round Pick (DET)
There is a lot to unpack with this trade for all four parties involved. Butler would be the biggest name on the move in this hypothetical swap. The former Bulls’ star has reportedly been unhappy in Miami for quite some time now and this move would offer him a change of scenery while getting to play with a talent like Steph Curry.
Chicago moving off Lavine is something that a majority of the fanbase has been hoping to see for a little while now. The 29-year-old is averaging 23.3 points per game on the season while shooting over 51% from the field. His $43.0 million salary is something that Chicago has not been able to shed, making a move like this interesting for a team desperately needing a rebuild.
Craig is in his second season with the Bulls after playing in 53 games and making 14 starts a year ago. The veteran has battled injuries this year, as he had played in just nine games and has made one start. In his limited time this season, Craig has 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. The SC Upstate product is in his seventh NBA season and when healthy could make for a solid bench piece on a playoff team.
The Chicago Bulls would be getting three players and a nice draft pick
In order to somewhat match the salaries of Lavine and Craig, the Bulls would be taking on the Tobias Harris contract from Detroit. In year one of his second stint with the Pistons, Harris has carved out a solid role for himself with a team that is much improved from last season. The veteran is averaging 13.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 44.6% from the field with the young Detroit nucleus.
Hield is putting up some decent numbers as well in his first season with Golden State. The 2016 first round draft choice is averaging over 12 points per game and is shooting over 38% from beyond the arc. He would bring a much-needed three-point shooting option to the Chicago bench.
Anderson would just be a throw-in piece for the Bulls in this trade. He’d be coming with Hield from the Warriors where he too is in his first season with the organization. Anderson hasn’t averaged more than 10 points per game since the 2020-21 season, and currently averages 15 minutes per contest out of the 30 he has appeared in so far this season.
The Bulls getting a first round draft pick in this deal is not a bad thing whatsoever. Despite Detroit improving and taking big strides, the front office most likely never saw themselves being able to fetch a first in any type of deal for Lavine. However, in a big blockbuster trade like this along with Lavine’s numbers this year, it makes a whole lot of sense for Chicago.
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