Bulls Must Finally Begin Rebuild with Nikola Vučević Trade Amid NBA Rumors

The Chicago Bulls are amid another decidedly "mid" season and despite the front office's best efforts, they have found no takers for star forward Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vučević, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Perhaps that has something to do with the first-round draft pick NBA insider Marc Stein reported the team covets in return for Vučević.

The 34-year-old is having one of the best years of his career, with 21 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, while shooting 58.7 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent from beyond the arc.

His age and his struggles on defense are not reflective of a player on whom teams will be willing to haphazardly throw away a first-round draft pick.

The team is trying to recoup draft picks that it did not get in the trade of Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City.

In the process, it is preventing itself from trading a player it wants to trade and, more importantly, is delaying the inevitable rebuild the team should have kicked off a season ago.

LaVine was always going to be difficult to trade, thanks to his history of knee issues and a contract valued at nearly $90 million between now and the end of next season.

But the team could still kick off its latest attempt at a rebuild by shipping out Vučević and getting back what they can for a veteran player who is performing at as high a level as he ever has.

They should be wise about it, though, and not put a king's ransom on him in an attempt to rectify another bad deal by its front office.

The Los Angeles Lakers need a center. They would likely be happy to take Vučević for the right price. That price in no way equates to a first-round draft pick.