Around the NBA, some teams are disappointed. They wanted more from the 2023-24 season. These teams fashioned themselves to be title contenders. Instead, they’ve been underwhelming.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of those teams. With LeBron James on the roster, the expectations were always high. As it stands, the Lakers are a bit below .500. This has not been the season that they were anticipating.
Still – the Lakers have James on the roster. That means that they’ve always got a shot. The Lakers could be a transaction away from title contention.
Could that transaction be for Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls?
NBA Trade Proposal: Los Angeles Lakers Land Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic
Chicago Bulls Receive: F Rui Hachimura, F/C Christian Wood, 2029 First-Round Pick (Top 10 Protected – LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: C Nikola Vucevic
The Lakers have James. The Bulls have…Zach LaVine? DeMar DeRozan? Alex Caruso? Who’s the best player on this team?
You may balk at our inclusion of Caruso. Fair enough. As valuable of a defensive specialist as Caruso is, he isn’t your typical image of the best player on an NBA team. We don’t generally hold defensive specialists in that regard.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Yet, it’s been heavily rumored that Caruso has the most trade value on this team. That’s a problem for Chicago. This team is in a tough spot.
Does this deal help bail them out of it?
Why The Chicago Bulls Do The Deal
Luckily, the league has a mechanism for teams in a tough spot. It’s called the draft. When a veteran-heavy team like the Bulls is outside of the playoff picture, their best course of action is typically to rebuild through the draft.
The Bulls should do the same. Trading Vucevic wouldn’t be enough. The Bulls should move every player we’ve named in this piece.
In doing so, they put themselves in an ideal position to build through the draft in the coming years. In the meantime, they should be happy to add a younger piece like Hachimura.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
If Chicago can get back on track sooner than expected, he can be helpful for them. Still, the main purpose here is to move an aging big man who struggles on defense for a lightly protected pick.
Should the Lakers take that big man on?
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
Vucevic may struggle on defense. That’s fine for the Lakers. Nobody can clean up defensive miscues like Anthony Davis. The Lakers are uniquely structured to cover for a player like Vucevic.
Meanwhile, they could badly use him on the offensive end. The Lakers need to add some playmaking. They could use a big man who can reliably space the floor.
Vucevic provides both. He can score from several spots on the floor, he’s a plus passer, and he’ll space the floor for James. Finally, the Lakers shouldn’t be hanging onto their draft capital.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
James is still playing at a near-prime level – this team has a championship window. Even in the middle of a disappointing season, that holds true.
