The Chicago Bulls have had a rough start, to say the least, to open the 2023-2024 NBA season. They sport a 4-7 record and currently sit at 12th place in the Eastern Conference.
Their early season struggles have paved a way for ongoing media discussions of what is next for the franchise?
They have 3 core guys in Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic; yet that has still not been enough for this Bulls team to make any noise over the years.
The Miami Heat sent this same Bulls squad home in the second Play-In game last season on route to an underdog NBA Finals run. The first domino that has surfaced is the Bulls and LaVine having mutual interest to look for a trade, via Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Shams went on national television yesterday declaring that the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers are all “expected” to consider showing some interest in trading for LaVine.
The Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Philadelphia 76ers are expected to consider a trade for Zach LaVine, per @ShamsCharania
(Via @TheRally / h/t @ChiSportUpdates ) pic.twitter.com/1gpihK6ct1
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 14, 2023
Another notable report from Sean Deveny said that Miami may also be the “first in line” to trade for Chicago role playing guard Alex Caruso if he is made available.
NBA exec says Miami Heat are eyeing Alex Caruso: ‘They need a guard in the worst way’https://t.co/hkyL2su97j
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 13, 2023
Caruso is probably a more realistic topic to talk about rather than LaVine and with his grittiness on defense and complimentary play style offensively, he could fit in with the Heat Culture.
He won a championship against the Heat in the 2020 bubble and for a current Heat squad that is light on point guard depth, it could make sense.
Truthfully, Heat fans should take BOTH these rumors/reports with a grain of salt, especially after Miami now seeing some significant success after “running it back” yet again.
DeMar DeRozan also is a potential future name in league wide trade talks. Shams stated that DeRozan wants to see where the team goes before committing to a new contract in Chicago.
With the Bulls being underwhelming for a few seasons now, it will be very interesting to see if they do indeed look to do a fire sale at some point this season.
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Nope. We already have Lavine on this team his name is Tyler Herro and we already have Alex Caruso on this team, his name is Caleb Martin.
We should be trying to shore up weak areas on the team, Caleb and Tyler are strengths.
Our sights should be set on either Spencer Dinwiddie or Tyus Jones.
They’re both pgs that shore up weaknesses and make us better for a hell of a lot less money.
And it’s important we make the right move and not weaken us while trying to upgrade. Dinwiddie would be a nice player, but is he available?
He is really good player, but I m not sure if is Miami Heat type of player in the sense, that he is more of a ball hog then ball mover. Too expensive too.
I dont see how to get him for decent price. Nets are not desperate at the moment.
Jones is an interesting player.
If the current Heat rotation will not be changed too much, im for Caruso. Lavine? Hmm…doesn’t look like a culture guy seems just good for highlights, sorry bro 😂.
Pat, Spo and co is still feeling out the current group they have. If this continues to work out even vs elite teams, ive got a feeling they’ll grind this out all season. But that’s just me…we still might see major changes.
i just watched the 4th quarter of the Bulls/Magic game, here are my thoughts on Zach LaVine:
Obviously, the talent is there. That dude can attack the basket, he sunk two clutch three-pointers, basically tying the game after the Bulls were down 6 with 30-seconds left. Plus he’s an insane athlete that could probably be coached into being a really good defender if he had been on good teams from a younger age.
That said, he’s been on losing teams his whole career, and his body language looked like me at one of my kids friends birthday parties, when some random parent is talking to me about swim lessons or charter schools. He’s probably more ‘talented’ than anyone on the Heat, but it would be an absolute project to coach him into being a winner, which would probably take a couple years. He has the potential to be better than Jimmy. But right now he’s about as good as Duncan Robinson. And he’s getting paid a Damian Lillard contract.
Short story long, he has a high ceiling, but a low floor. If this team keeps rolling, I see no reason to take the risk. But if they’re falling apart midseason, and they need to do something to get better, that dude can BALL. The question is whether he’s Chris Bosh (an all-star that just needs to be in the right situation to win a title) or Michael Beasley (a talented knucklehead that will never be able to win in the NBA)?
As you mentioned, hes been on losing teams his whole career, a change of place into a winning environment like the Heat might do him good. In terms of health, he’s been injured most of the time, but despite that he’s quite durable, played 77 games last season, and 67 games prior. He can shoot with high accuracy (career 38% 3pt fg), and obviously his elite athleticism allows him to get to the rim almost at will. Bottomline : for the right price, ill take Lavine. If Chi is keen for Herro (cos him and Lavine are redundant), Lowry, Jovic, Martin, picks…then you do it
If Herro and LaVine are redundant (very similar skill set and very similar career numbers), why would we give the Bulls him plus 3 additional players plus picks?? I disagree. Herro has averaged 60 games a season – not very good. LaVine 65 – better, but not by much. I’m not saying LaVine isn’t better, and I’m not against trading Herro, but I’d rather see it be Herro plus maybe one protected first and a second.
Different type of player, but he reminds me a bit of Westbrook or Harden. Goran was in Chicago, and once said publicly, that the talk about scarifying something is not enough. He was probably talking about Lavine.
Caruso’s salary is about the same as the Oladipo trade exception that Miami currently owns. If Chicago is really blowing things up, and if I understand how trade exceptions work (which, it’s quite possible I don’t), then we might be able to get Caruso for some future picks and that’s it. Or we could use the Strus exception and throw in whoever would need to be cut from the roster to make room for Caruso.
Again, this only works if A) I understand how trade exceptions work, and B) if Chicago really and truly commits to the blow-up. If they want to compete on any level this year, they’ll want something back that makes them better this year. But the stupidest thing you can possibly do during a 6-game win streak is to trade away one of the people responsible for that 6-game win streak.
I watched a lot of Chicago, when Goran was there, and I have opinion about that team and players.
-Big 3, Derozan, Lavine, Vucevic are terrible fit.
-Since Ball went down, Chicago plays without decent point guard.
-Players, who should fix lack of defence from big 3, Caruso and Williams, are unable to do that.
About players:
-Lavine is an overrated player, by far. Bad defender, bad passer, and he become lazy scorer, which relay on distance shooting. It seems his athleticism is not there anymore.
-Vucevic is the same type of player, really bad defender.
-Derozan is midrange master… thats it.
-Caruso is a dog, but he is also bad scorer, average passer, and often injuried. We have a bunch of similar players already here. We dont need another one of same type.
From the list above, the only player, which makes sense for Miami, is Derozan, an one year rental as an another scoring option for the bench.
But we shoud give up Lowry, Herro or Robinson for him, which doesnt makes sense right now.
So, in my opinion, Miami shouldnt go after those players. If other would be available, Carter and White are interesting players.
Unless there is a bargain, I agree. Here is one of the ridiculous trade proposals I came across from Heavy for Caruso:
”If they packaged, say, Richardson, Orlando Robinson and 2022 first-round pick Nikola Jovic, plus a future first-round pick, they’d be taking on $2.4 million in salary, and for a team with a $180 million payroll, that would move them perilously close to the $182.7 million luxury tax “second apron.”
For Caruso??? 3 players AND a first round pick?? NO NO NO NO NO!
That’s a lot of NOs. Add one from me…NO! 😳🙄😬
I think Martin, and one of ORobinson or Cain, and a second pick, its the offer for Caruso. More doesnt makes sense.
thanks for the post. I literally never watch the Bulls, so only know these players from their salaries and reputations. I always appreciate the people that actually watch these guys play.
I think Caruso or Derozan would be a good fit, but I right now the only player I would be willing to trade is J-Rich. Maybe Cain or Dru Smith if it helped match salaries or saved a first round pick. But otherwise, the Heat roster is looking deep and talented right now. I don’t expect this team to make a trade anytime soon.
If the price for caruso is low, I would do it, maybe jrich, dru, and future 2nd round pick. Derozan would be a good in a 6th man role, but honestly This team is flowing now, so wouldn’t want to break up the core, or good role players to get derozan. Plus we’re doing just fine without them. I can see maybe bucks trying to get one them, mainly caruso to help out there boy Lillard, and that defense.
Jimmy, Bam, and Caruso on the floor together would be some good defense
It would. Throw in Highsmith and Jaquez and it’d be downright scary!