Why The Chicago Bulls Make The Deal
There are two arguments the Chicago Bulls could use to justify this deal: need and fit.
The first one is pretty obvious. The Bulls were a great offensive team in 2021-22, but they struggled a little on defense. Simmons is a tremendous help in that regard. Sure, the Bulls are swapping two great defenders for one excellent one here. Simmons will make up the difference.
After all, he’s one of the best defensive players in the NBA. Neither Ball nor Caruso could claim the same. On the other hand, the fit argument is a little shakier.
Simmons’ fit with Nikola Vucevic is great on paper. Vooch is generally one of the best stretch big men in the NBA. His numbers declined last year, but we’d chalk that up to random variance.
On the other hand, Simmons’ fit with DeMar DeRozan is questionable. DeRozan is a more willing shooter, but he’s a similar poor shooting, high-quality playmaking ball-handler.
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Still, with some compromises, this could work. Simmons could spend more time as a roll man in pick-and-roll sets. DeRozan having a career year from three-point range sure would help too. This trade may be risky for the Bulls, but it also raises their ceiling substantially.
