Trade Targets for Bulls to Pursue at 2023 Deadline
The Chicago Bulls have from now until the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline to officially decide on a direction for this franchise.
That's assuming, of course, said decision hasn't already been made.
Between the high ceiling flashed by this group last season and a moderately successful recent run (11-7 with a top-10 net rating since Dec. 19), the front office might see justification in fully committing to this core. Then again, this team has wobbled a ton since Lonzo Ball suffered a torn meniscus last January—an injury he's yet to return from—and maybe that's motivation to ship out veterans for long-term assets.
Outside looking in, the Bulls seem more likely to buy than sell, but who knows what's on deck for the Windy City? If the aim is, in fact, to compete sooner than later, then it makes sense to target the following three players.
Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
1 of 3
If the Bulls make a major addition, that change will likely occur at the center spot.
Nikola Vučević has played some great basketball of late, but his fit with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine remains less than ideal. All three fare better on offense than defense, which not only puts pressure on their teammates to defend like mad but also somewhat mutes this trio's production since there's only one ball to go around.
That's not to mention Vučević has unrestricted free agency awaiting him this summer. If the Bulls are already having trouble emphasizing his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses, that challenge will only increase as he gets deeper into his 30s.
If Chicago seeks a center swap, it should fire off a phone call to Phoenix.
Deandre Ayton may not outproduce Vućević by a ton, but Ayton would offer a cleaner fit with this core. Ayton is a superior athlete and a more reliable defender. As an added bonus, he's also 24 years old and signed through 2025-26, meaning he'd offer more long-term stability on the frontcourt regardless of which direction the franchise takes at the deadline.
Jae Crowder, Phoenix Suns
2 of 3
As hard as it can be to predict anything that will happen at the deadline, a Jae Crowder deal seems like a certainty.
The 32-year-old has sought a trade out of Phoenix since last offseason. The Suns, last season's wins leader, also desperately need to fill his void to get things turned around.
The Bulls should try to make a Crowder trade happen.
They could use another physical, big-wing defender. His playoff experience (107 career appearances) could be massive for a team still trying to find its way in a crowded Eastern Conference. And if he gets it rolling from range—he's a 34.6 percent three-point shooter for his career but has twice shot better than 38 percent—he'd be a great spot-up safety valve in this offense.
Doug McDermott, San Antonio Spurs
3 of 3
The Bulls are built to win with offense, yet their defense (No. 12) outranks their attack (No. 18) in efficiency, per NBA.com.
That's not a good thing. Credit this group for perhaps exceeding expectations on defense, but this roster isn't playing to its greatest strength.
The offense needs more breathing room, and Doug McDermott, who started his career in Chicago, could provide exactly that.
The Bulls desperately need to up their three-point volume, as they sit just 28th in makes (10.7 per game) and dead last in attempts (29.1). McDermott would help crank up the nob. He's a 41 percent long-range shooter for his career, and he last averaged fewer than 1.7 triples in 2018-19.
