Bulls Trade Targets with 2023 Trade Deadline 2 Months Away

The Chicago Bulls are struggling.

Maybe a 10-14 start doesn't sound like a reason to pound the panic button, but there are reasons to believe the Bulls brass has at least glanced at said button a time or two.

This roster was constructed to win right now. That's a concern. The bigger issue, though, is the fact the Bulls owe a top-four protected pick to the Orlando Magic. If Chicago needs more blue-chip talent, then keeping that pick could become a top priority.

Having said all of that, though, it feels premature to tear this down. Maybe it won't once the NBA trade deadline rolls around in two months, but it does right now.

So, rather than weigh the merits of a hasty rebuild, we're instead identifying three potential trade targets who could help Chicago get things back on track.

A big wing who plays both ends would solve a lot of issues for this roster.

The Bulls keep hoping that Patrick Williams, the No. 4 pick in in 2020, will become that player. However, there is no statistical evidence of that transformation taking place.

Chicago, then, could instead pivot toward Jae Crowder, a plug-and-play swingman who's been awaiting his trade from the Phoenix Suns since training camp. The 32-year-old isn't a star, but the Bulls don't necessarily need stardom from this spot. A player who provides both defensive versatility and outside shooting could do the trick.

Crowder has the defensive versatility part down, plus he offers toughness and gobs of playoff experience. His jumper unfortunately comes and goes, but in 2020-21, he splashed 148 threes at a 38.9 percent clip, so the Bulls could at least hope he'd supply both quantity and quality as a shooter.

Part of the reason the Bulls can't get going this season is that they're without their connector, Lonzo Ball. His unselfish, pass-first style helps tie this offense together, and his point-of-attack defense sets the tone on that end.

P.J. Washington wouldn't be a direct replacement, but maybe his glue-guy game could serve as a similar adhesive.

He can bounce between the 4 and 5 spots, or even handle the 3 spot in a pinch. He doesn't have a standout skill in his arsenal, but he doesn't have any glaring weakness, either. That means he can don a ton of different hats—scorer, stopper, table-setter, rebounder—and change his game however needed from one night to the next.

With the 24-year-old approaching restricted free agency and the Hornets heading nowhere fast, he could be up for grabs. Chicago could really diversify its lineups by adding him and deploying him as both a power 4 and a small-ball 5.

Chicago's roster construction prevents Nikola Vučević from playing his best. He's an offense-first player who can score in bunches and serve as a secondary playmaker. That's normally a really helpful skill set for a center, but since the Bulls' offense runs through DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine first, Vučević gets too often lost in the shuffle.

Perhaps that will push Chicago's decision-makers toward making a change at center.

Myles Turner would be a dream get if that happens.

Defense really drives his value, which is saying something when he's averaging a carer-high 17.8 points on 55.3/41.6/81.2 shooting. His offensive arsenal lets him serve as an ideal screen partner, since he can roll to the rim or pop out to the perimeter, but he's even more effective at the less glamorous end, where his shot-blocking and ability to switch out the perimeter really shine.