Big Changes Bulls Must Make If They Miss NBA Playoffs

The Chicago Bulls have done enough over the course of the 2023-24 NBA season to feel good about their chances of getting into the play-in tournament.

Their ticket isn't quite secured just yet, but with a comfortable cushion over the water-treading—and 11th-seeded—Brooklyn Nets, it would take a pretty epic collapse for Chicago not to wrap this campaign with a top-10 seed in hand.

Of course, that's just the first step of the Bulls' postseason journey, as they'd need at least one more win (or two if they wind up ninth or 10th) to actually land a playoff spot. And considering this club has lost more games than it's won, that's hardly a given.

If Chicago winds up falling short of a playoff berth, sweeping changes should finally be on the docket for this front office.

Trade Zach LaVine

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TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 18: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles against the Chicago Bulls during the second half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on January 18, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

Even when Zach LaVine has been at his best, he has long ranked among the league's most polarizing players. His highlights are magnificent, and his stat lines have been loud enough to garner a pair of All-Star selections, but his production has rarely resulted in team success. To date, the No. 13 pick of the 2014 draft has contributed to only a single playoff appearance.

This season, of course, LaVine was nowhere near his best. When he wasn't battling the injury bug, he was seeing statistical declines in both quantity and quality. The Bulls have been far better without him (4.6 points better per 100 possessions to be precise, per NBA.com), which is never something you want to see from a player of his stature, let alone one with his humongous salary.

All of this is to say the Bulls should be ready to embrace their life after LaVine. And they seemingly are. While they couldn't find the scoring guard a new home at this past trade deadline, they plan to revisit those talks this offseason, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

The Bulls shouldn't expect much in return given LaVine's sagging stats, escalating pay rate, lengthy injury history and questionable-at-best impact on winning, but cutting ties with him would allow this franchise to start fresh with a core that should eventually be able to enjoy the kind of success the current nucleus never delivered.

Move on from DeMar DeRozan

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 11: DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles up the court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the United Center on March 11, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

DeMar DeRozan is putting the finishing touches on a third consecutive strong season in the Windy City, and there seems to be mutual interest in extending his stay.

Zoom out to a macro lens, though, and it's hard to see a great argument for bringing the 34-year-old back from unrestricted free agency.

He is very much in the win-right-now stage of his career, and Chicago simply isn't built to do that. The Bulls had a few interesting months before Lonzo Ball hurt his knee in Jan. 2022, but they've hovered near—and usually under—.500 ever since. DeRozan has been objectively awesome during this stretch, and it just hasn't mattered because he doesn't have enough help around him.

Finding that help while navigating LaVine's tricky trade market and ponying up for a new deal with DeRozan feels somewhere between highly improbable and outright impossible. If DeRozan and the Bulls both hope to chase a championship, they should realize their best chance to do so is by splitting up this summer.

Shop Nikola Vučević and Alex Caruso in Search of Long-Term Assets

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 20: Alex Caruso #6 of the Chicago Bulls celebrates with Nikola Vucevic against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 20, 2024 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

A potential Bulls' blow-up has been on the collective mind of the hoops world for so long that the idea almost sounds cliched at this point.

That doesn't matter. It's still in this team's best long-term interest to convert the remaining win-now talent in search of the long-term assets that could eventually give this club a chance to contend.

Alex Caruso clearly has suitors across the Association, and Nikola Vučević remains productive enough to attract teams with question marks at center, issues with scoring or both. If that combination is capable of delivering multiple first-round picks, the Bulls owe it to themselves to take those calls and probably make those deals.

The emergence of Coby White, a strong Most Improved Player award contender, should remind this organization of how exciting it can be to roster young, ascending players. The Bulls need plenty more of them, though, so they should start collecting the draft picks that may eventually produce them.