'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Chicago Bulls are coming off a 2020-21 NBA season that might've been a missed opportunity. The team started the year adequately and often found themselves in Play-In tournament positions or close to those, but they fell out of postseason contention even after going all-in during the March 25th trade deadline.
The team acquired All-Star center Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic and paired him with Zach LaVine, who was also an All-Star in 2021. However, the duo played only 15 games and the team posted a 7-8 record in those matches. The Chicago Bulls ended the 2020-21 NBA season with a 12-17 record after the trade was made and that ended their chances of getting into the postseason.
3 Players that can open doors for the Chicago Bulls in the 2021 NBA off-season
For the upcoming campaign, keeping the duo seems like the sensible thing to do, though there might be work to do with LaVine's contract. LaVine is coming off the best year of his NBA career, but the Chicago Bulls will need to work around his contract, whether they offer him an extension or renegotiate his current deal.
The team's vice president of basketball operations, Arturas Karnisovas, has already stated that the Chicago Bulls will look to improve their roster for next year to push for the NBA Playoffs.
In this article, we will take a look at three players on the Chicago Bulls' roster that could open doors for the squad during the 2021 NBA off-season.
#3 Zach LaVine
LaVine will be on the final year of his current deal in the 2021-22 NBA season and the Chicago Bulls will continue to receive calls from teams interested in the 26-year-old All-Star.
A player with LaVine's efficiency and ability to score will surely receive attention from almost every other team in the NBA. He is a trade asset for the Chicago Bulls; however, moving LaVine would be the first step on to another re-building process for the Bulls, and the team's front office's moves last year did not indicate that.
LaVine is the cornerstone piece of the team and was the main reason behind the team's efforts to get Vucevic and Daniel Theis last season. Though trading LaVine might bring a huge package for the Chicago Bulls, it does not seem logical to trade him at this point.
#2 Thaddeus Young
Thaddeus Young has been in the NBA for 14 years, but the veteran remains a solid player who can provide offense for any team in the league.
The 2021-22 NBA season is the last of his current deal and the Chicago Bulls could be willing to involve him in trade talks. Young's departure would not be ideal for the Chicago Bulls, but if the team's holes in the backcourt cannot be solved in free agency, then Young could be an asset to bring in a guard.
Coby White is the team's starting point guard and he averaged 15 points per game last year. However, White suffered a shoulder injury while being "engaged in basketball activities away from the team" and will miss considerable time after having surgery on June 10th.
#1 Lauri Markkanen
The Chicago Bulls might willingly let Lauri Markkanen walk away via restricted free agency in the 2021 NBA off-season. However, it would be in the best interest of the franchise to try and get something in return.
The 2021-22 NBA season will be the fifth for Lauri Markkanen in his career, and the former seventh pick of the 2017 NBA Draft has shown glimpses of huge ability. In reality, Markkanen's biggest issue of his career has been durability, as he's been plagued by injuries quite often.
Last year, Markkanen missed 15 games with a shoulder injury and then lost his spot in the starting lineup following Nikola Vucevic's arrival. Despite having his best offensive game in terms of efficiency (he put up career highs on offense last year after hitting 48% of his field goals and 40.2% of his threes).
A sign-and-trade would be sensible for the Chicago Bulls and for the Finnish forward, as he might not be a starter for coach Billy Donovan and might be unhappy with the role he ended last season with.
With deficiencies on the backcourt, the Chicago Bulls could use Markkanen as another player who can go to a different team and get a necessary player in return.
In 221 career games in the NBA, Markkanen averages 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game with 44/36/84 shooting splits.
Last season, he put up career lows on points per game (13.6) and rebounds per game (5.3). However, he also averaged just 25.8 minutes per game, the lowest of his career so far.
Also read: 5 free agents the Chicago Bulls should target in the 2021 NBA offseason
Guess the Lakers players!
