The Chicago Bulls made a statement trade earlier this week when they sent away Zach LaVine in exchange for their first-round draft pick, previously protected but belonging to the San Antonio Spurs, and salary fillers. They had two objectives: ditch one of the least team-friendly contracts in NBA history, where they still owed LaVine over $45 million guaranteed for the next three years, and obtain first-round draft stock. Mission accomplished. Now that they've fully embarked on a losing season that'll begin the complete rebuild, a few more names are on the hot seat for the final 90 minutes before today's trade deadline. Why wouldn't they sell high on aging assets, and will some young pieces be shipped away, too?
Vucevic To Warriors Still In Play
The Golden State Warriors landed six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler last night in a blockbuster deal with the Miami Heat. Within a few hours, the Los Angeles Lakers added Charlotte's Mark Williams to fulfill the lob-threat request from new cornerstone franchise player Luka Doncic. It's been known for weeks that the Warriors have been looking to fill the center position with a new stretch-five archetype and that Vucevic has been on their radar for some time. Chicago's original asking price of the first-round draft stock was too steep, but now that they've added Butler and gone all-in on a title run, would they be willing to meet the Bulls somewhere in the middle?
The Warriors and Bulls remain in discussions on Nikola Vucevic, per @WindhorstESPN.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 6, 2025
Golden State is seeking a floor-spacing big who can complement Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
In order to match salaries, the Warriors would need to include Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney. pic.twitter.com/66SfUuTbHj
Rumors are circulating that Vucevic would return to the trade block immediately following the regular season if not traded in the next hour. Arturas Karnisovas continuing to believe that the 6'10" center's value will rise despite his age climbing to mid-30s, his production slightly dipping the last month, and his contract getting closer to expiration continues to confuse many.
Coby White To Magic Not Dead Yet
The last potential trade for the Bulls before the 2025 NBA trade deadline is Coby White heading to Orlando. Many Chicago fans still have a sour taste in their mouths from the last time a blockbuster was done at the trade deadline, the one for Vucevic that arguably set the franchise back five to eight years because of the massive amounts of future capital sacrificed. Now, the Magic are younger, more talented, and have a brighter future. Although many contend that White is 24 years old and has progressed to a legitimate NBA contributor in the last two seasons, the argument for trading him away is simple. At his best, he's a sixth man on a contending roster. If the goal is true contention in Chicago, they won't be at that point until White is nearing 30, and his best value may lie in draft capital via another franchise that will maximize his skills for a playoff push soon.
The Orlando Magic reportedly contacted the Chicago Bulls about Coby White’s availability, per @IanBegley
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2025
“Orlando was among a group of teams talking to Chicago about Coby White earlier this week, per sources familiar with the matter.” 👀👀👀
(Via @SNYtv /… pic.twitter.com/fuQ0z1xhqT
Will Chicago land any last-minute deals that further the development of the upcoming rebuild, or will they sit on aging assets and try again this summer to lure more draft stock from contending rosters?
