3 Trade Targets for Bulls to Consider Before Rumor Mill Picks Up

If you've been waiting for the Chicago Bulls to blow up their roster and start over, your wish might finally be granted during this NBA trade season.

While it's unclear how active Chicago plans to be, there are already rumblings about the future of Zach LaVine, so clearly the club isn't opposed to making significant changes. And if LaVine gets sent out, why would the Bulls stop there? This obviously isn't a contender, so why not see what the market has to offer for all of their win-now players?

If Chicago is as open to a reset as it appears, here is who (and what) the Bulls should be after on the trade market.

Draft Picks

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MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 8: Julian Phillips #15 and Dalen Terry #25 of the Chicago Bulls, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo #43 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the game on October 8, 2023 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Kena Krutsinger /NBAE via Getty Images).

Assuming the Bulls went through with a top-to-bottom tear-down, who would they definitely keep around?

The fact you're likely stumbling to find a sure thing says all you need to know about Chicago's young talent. Patrick Williams went from stagnating to outright regressing. Coby White's efficiency has tanked amid his promotion to the starting lineup. Ayo Dosunmu's minutes have been all over the place. Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips have seldom even seen the floor.

If Chicago resets, it has to be fully focused on the future. The best way for the Bulls to brighten it is by collecting as many draft assets as possible.

Their only incoming pick is a lottery-protected first from the lottery-bound Portland Trail Blazers. They're down one future first (2025, top-10 protected) and several future seconds. If they don't come out of this trade season with a much stronger collection of draft picks, that will be a failure on the front office's part.

Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors

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The Bulls aren't in the position to aggressively pursue anyone, but they should be looking around for buy-low candidates.

Jonathan Kuminga immediately comes to mind.

The bouncy swingman has never seemed like a less certain part of Golden State's future plans. The Warriors have needed his breakout now more than ever, and his numbers have actually backtracked. Entering Monday night, his shooting slash sits at a grisly 43.4/17.2/74.1.

The 21-year-old's growing pains are tough for a win-now team like Golden State to stomach, but Chicago should be as patient as anyone if it heads into a rebuild. It can afford to wait and see whether the No. 7 pick of the 2021 draft can figure things out and tap into his towering two-way potential.

Nikola Jović, Miami Heat

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Nikola Jović could have a bright future ahead of him, but South Beach may not be the place to show it.

Not with the Heat fully committed to squeezing whatever they can out of the remainder of Jimmy Butler's prime.

If Miami seeks win-now assistance from Chicago, the Bulls should demand Jović in return. The 27th pick of the 2022 draft had a strong showing for Serbia at this year's FIBA World Cup, and his offensive ability has shined at the G League level. He might just be a consistent opportunity away from his NBA breakout.

With an obvious need for long-term talent, Chicago should be targeting forward-focused additions like him.