More than ever, the NBA is about offense. The days of hand-checking are long gone. A group of tough guys can only get you so far. Instead, you need a group that can get you tough buckets.
Just ask the Sacramento Kings. This team had the best offense in the NBA last season. They were rewarded with a postseason trip.
Granted, the Kings lost in the first round, but this was still an encouraging season. They’ll be looking to build on their success in 2023-24.
By contrast, the Bulls won’t have much success to build on. They were designed with offense in mind but struggled to generate points. As a result, some have suggested that this team could rebuild.
Could they start by sending DeMar DeRozan to the Kings?
NBA Trade Proposal — Sacramento Kings Land DeMar DeRozan
Chicago Bulls Receive: F Harrison Barnes, F Trey Lyles, G Davion Mitchell, 2026 First-Round Pick (Swap – SAC)
Sacramento Kings Receive: G/F DeMar DeRozan
Why did the Bulls fall short? It certainly wasn’t due to a lack of talent. Between DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic, they had plenty of firepower. Yet, somehow, they couldn’t score at a high level.
The Bulls were surprisingly solid on the defensive end. One could even make the case that their most valuable player last year was Alex Caruso. That’s a problem.
Caruso is one of the best defensive guards in the NBA, but you’re only getting so far if he’s your best player. We’re not sure why the Bulls struggled. It could have been that their star players simply lacked chemistry.
LATEST NBA TRADE RUMORS: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings Updates
On the other hand, the combined ball dominance of their star trio could have been a problem. If that’s the case, it begs a question: why would DeRozan fare any better in Sacramento?
Why The Sacramento Kings Do This Deal
We’re not sure. With that said, some questioned whether two ball-dominant stars like Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox could co-exist. It may be that Sacramento has a better system than Chicago.
With Sabonis’ ability to function as an offensive fulcrum from the elbow in dribble-hand-off sets, Sacramento creates ample opportunities for its guards to get inside.
DeRozan should benefit. It’s not hard to picture dribble hand-off chemistry between him and Sabonis. DeRozan may not be much of a three-point threat, but those sets should get him open from midrange regularly. When they don’t, guess what? DeRozan is a capable playmaker as well. This could work.
If it doesn’t? The Kings paid a relatively minimal price to land him anyway. With Keegan Murray’s emergence, Barnes is expendable to this group.
LATEST NBA TRADE RUMORS: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings Updates
Meanwhile, DeRozan will make up Mitchell’s playmaking and then some. All the Kings need to do is ensure this swap doesn’t convey. Should the Bulls let that happen?
Why The Chicago Bulls Do This Deal
Some Bulls fans won’t like this move. They’ll suggest that DeRozan has more trade value than we give him credit. We disagree. DeRozan is a big name, but he’s aging a poor defender, and a limited floor spacer. This is probably his market value.
Realistically, the package is headlined by Mitchell. Suppose the Bulls choose to rebuild. He’s a nice addition. Mitchell is a suffocating point-of-attack defender who can make plays for himself and his teammates at times, too.
Even if they’re not rebuilding, pairing him with Caruso in the backcourt could give them one of the best perimeter defensive tandems in the league. With that established, LaVine and Vucevic could carry the offense.
LATEST NBA TRADE RUMORS: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings Updates
Finally, this pick swap has a volatile value. If the Kings stay competitive through to 2026, it could be meaningless. If they fall apart, this could be tremendous value for the Bulls. They’ll just have to hope the Kings’ offense eventually fails them.
