Much of the fanbase in Chicago was happy to see Zach LaVine's contract gone but disheartened at the return. Arturas Karnisovas, front office leader and VP of basketball operations, was responsible for inking LaVine to one of the worst contracts leaguewide a few seasons ago. Earlier this week, he dumped that contract and the package Chicago received in return exposed how the rest of the league felt about the grossly expensive contract attached to the two-time All-Star guard. In the end, the Bulls received a few salary-filling pieces, only one with real future promise of growth, and fully retained their first-round draft pick from San Antonio. Now that the trade deadline has passed and all three role players acquired in that swap are in Chicago to stay, at least through this season, what's the good news for Bulls fans?
Tre Jones May Be Here Longer Term
One of the three players added in the LaVine deal was 25-year-old Tre Jones. In his fifth season, Jones averages over eight points, four assists, and nearly three rebounds per outing in 21 minutes. He's used to a rebuilding scene, experiencing the lowest lows in San Antonio in his first several campaigns. After initial reports indicated the Bulls would most likely be aggressive in flipping the assets retained from their former All-Star guard, the deadline has passed, and none of the trio has been dealt away. According to K.C. Johnson, Jones's contract expires this summer, but he is contemplating an extension with the franchise.
More on guard glut: Multiple teams are under impression Bulls want to keep Ayo Dosunmu.(Not saying they don’t want to keep others. Just have heard from several teams specifically about Ayo)
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 6, 2025
Also, not only is Tre Jones poised to survive deadline but could stick beyond his expiring
It's hard to find much reason to hold Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, and Lonzo Ball, to name a few guards in the locker room, especially now that they're rebuilding. Ball's extension was purely with future intentions of selling him at next year's trade cutoff to the highest bidding contending roster, Giddey was brought as a franchise cornerstone, and Dosunmu and White have been developmental projects since being drafted to Chicago.
Chicago Walks Away With Close To Nothing
In summation of the 2025 NBA trade deadline, Karnisovas admitted his biggest fault as the head of Chicago's front office, inking LaVine's mega-extension several seasons ago. The only two things his group accomplished were getting out of that horrific contract and assuring themselves a first-round draft pick in this summer's draft. Much of the fanbase implored for more trades to be executed, including sending off Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, White, Ball, and the assets retained from LaVine. Nonetheless, Karnisovas opted to remain stagnant outside of the LaVine trade, and those assets will be dangled again this summer in talks.
.@mharrisonair isn't happy about the Bulls failing to add draft capital at the trade deadline and their inaction beyond the trade of Zach LaVine. pic.twitter.com/9SYUHRKIxm
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) February 6, 2025
Karnisovas has a multi-year rebuilding plan, as evidenced by holding on to Vucevic, extending Ball, and not dealing away White. Still, with his track record, he should not be granted that opportunity. What's next for a Bulls franchise headed for their third consecutive losing season and selecting top-ten in the upcoming draft?
