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The Chicago Bulls have posted a disappointing 9-13 record so far this season. NBA executives have quickly taken notice. They ended a five-year playoff drought last season and appeared to be heading in the right direction. Well, things haven't gone according to plan.
The big three of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic have struggled in Lonzo Ball's absence. Without Ball's elite playmaking, the team has been inefficient. They have heavily relied on high screens and isolation offense.
Ayo Dosunmu, who was an integral part of the team's success last season, has seen his playing time diminish. Patrick Williams has also been excluded from the team's offense despite shooting 42.4% from 3-point range.
They are desperate for consistency. Ball is sidelined for the foreseeable future and will not be available to dig them out of their hole. NBA executives have begun to question the availability of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, teams are eagerly waiting to see whether Chicago's big three is on the trade block.
"Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic. ...Teams are waiting to see: will any of them be available by the trade deadline? Right now this is a Chicago team that wants to make the playoffs, wants to get a healthy Lonzo Ball back. They're not ready to concede yet."
His comments came during an ESPN pregame show prior to Chicago's matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Friday. Despite a late-game push by the Bulls, the Warriors were able to close things out and win 119-111. They handed Chicago their second straight loss.
Possible trade destinations for the Chicago Bulls' big three of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic
As Wojnarowski pointed out, there is one team that has previously been linked to DeMar DeRozan: the LA Lakers. Prior to their acquisition of Russell Westbrook, the leading theory was that the Lakers would pair DeRozan with LeBron James.
At the same time, the Lakers have one of the worst records in the Western Conference. It's no secret that Russell Westbrook could be on the trade block. Despite the former MVP embracing his bench role, he seems to remain the odd man out in LA.
According to reports, the Lakers have had internal discussions about a potential trade that would land them DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. As part of the deal, the Lakers would send Russell Westbrook and several draft picks to the Bulls
Whether or not the Bulls decide to throw in the towel remains to be seen. They are only 1.5 games back of the final play-in spot. They still have 60 more games to right the ship.
Below you can see more of Woj's comments about the Bulls.
Guess the Lakers players!
