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Over the past few weeks, trade rumors regarding the Chicago Bulls have been popping up. After another underwhelming season, they are a team that could possibly become a seller before the February 9 deadline.
When Chicago put high-caliber players like Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic around star guard Zach LaVine, they were expected to become title contenders. However, that has not been the case. Injuries and the Eastern Conference getting stronger has left them reeling towards the bottom of the standings.
If the season ended today, the Bulls would not be in the playoffs. Their 23-27 record is only good for 11th place in the East. That being said, the front office has a big decision to make within the next week.
Given the state of the franchise, a Chicago Bulls trade before the deadline seems likely. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports recently reported that multiple teams are monitoring LaVine's situation.
"The Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Mavericks have consistently been mentioned by league personnel as holding motivations to land LaVine if the time does arrive."
LaVine, 27, is averaging 23.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 46 games this season.
Who should the Chicago Bulls trade before deadline?
Of all the Chicago Bulls trade pieces, Zach LaVine should not be on the table at this time. He is still in the prime of his career and has just signed a long-term deal. Instead, the team should be looking to re-build around the two-time All-Star.
Another player that has been involved in the Chicago Bulls' trade rumors is DeMar DeRozan. While he's had great success since joining the team last year, he is someone they should consider moving.
For starters, DeRozan is still playing at an All-Star level. So far this season, he is averaging 26.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists. On top of his production, DeRozan still has one year left on his deal. Given these factors, they should be able to net a decent return for the 33-year-old in a trade.
The Bulls could survey the market for Vucevic, but the return might not be as great. He is on an expiring contract and his production has taken a slight dip. Plus, teams don't value the center position as much in today's game.
Outside of their star players, Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond are two veterans the Bulls could move before the deadline. They both have playoff experience and could be valuable in a reserve role for a team looking to contend for a title.
