Chicago Bulls

There are two "D" words that loom large in the world of NBA trades: deadlines and desperation.

One of those two things—if not both—could be the key that finally unlocks Zach LaVine's path away from the Chicago Bulls.

While the two-time All-Star and longtime resident on the trade rumor mill said all the right things at Bulls Media Day, none of them will actually change his position among the players likeliest to change locker rooms during the 2024-25 season.

In case there was any doubt, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the Bulls continue to "actively" explore LaVine trades. It's the next logical step of their overdue—but thankfully finally happening—rebuilding effort.

Now, searching for deals and actually finding one are two different things. If LaVine had a robust trade market (or, really, any market value at all), he'd be participating in someone else's training camp. To this point, though, that market doesn't exist.

That probably won't change any time soon. Not when he's coming off an injury-riddled campaign that saw him suit up just 25 times before undergoing season-ending surgery on Feb. 8. It's not just about returning to action, it's convincing someone he's worth the massive amount of money he's owed: $89 million for the next two seasons, plus a $49 million player option for 2026-27, per Spotrac.

That won't be easy, particularly not in the NBA's new economic environment. And that's before factoring in LaVine's reputation as an empty-calories producer. His first 10 NBA seasons yielded just a single playoff trip, which didn't stretch beyond the opening round.

He is, admittedly, not an attractive trade target. That could change over time, though.

For starters, seeing him back in action could go a long way toward restoring his value. His numbers may not have led to a lot of winning, but when he's healthy, they're still among the better you'll find on the offensive end.

Prior to this past season, he was on a four-year run of averaging at least 24 points, four assists and 2.5 three-pointers in each campaign. Only four other players matched that feat: Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell.

LaVine needs a little time to remind folks he has that kind of talent.

Based on his track record, it's reasonable to assume he can do that (health permitting, of course). Chicago should have no trouble giving him the platform to do that. It needs to showcase his skills to attract suitors, and with DeMar DeRozan off lighting the beam in Sacramento, there aren't as many mouths to feed in this offense.

Then, all the Bulls might need is some desperation among contender-hopefuls—or even playoff-hopefuls. That part feels like a given. The Western Conference is fully loaded, and the Eastern Conference has its own glut behind the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks (and maybe the Milwaukee Bucks if they can unlock the full potential of the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard pairing).

Let a chunk of the 2024-25 campaign play out, and some teams will not only have to face their flaws but also the distinct possibility of said flaws holding them back if not corrected. Those who are struggling to find steady scoring, spacing and secondary playmaking will have to seriously consider whether it's worth stomaching the remainder of LaVine's large salary.

That might feel far-fetched now, but what if offensive options are limited—there hasn't exactly been an abundance of sellers since the play-in tournament widened the postseason field—and the clock starts ticking ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline? If LaVine is playing regularly and producing like normal, his appeal has to be stronger than it looks right now.

That's when Chicago might hear the long-awaited knock of opportunity. Desperate teams facing a deadline might actually seek out LaVine, and the second that happens, expect the Bulls to be ready to pounce.

The Chicago Bulls will reportedly honor franchise legend Derrick Rose at the United Center on Jan. 4, when the team hosts the New York Knicks.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that news on the Pat McAfee Show Tuesday.

Rose recently retired after a 16-year NBA career. His best days were with the Bulls, who selected the former Memphis star with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft.

Rose's best season was 2010-11, when he won the NBA MVP award and led the 62-win Bulls to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.

Rose was born and raised in Chicago, playing high school ball for Simeon Career Academy and winning two state titles. He also earned McDonald's All-American honors as well before heading to Memphis.

Naturally, Rose returned to Chicago with much fanfare in 2008. He immediately met the hype and then some in 2008-09, winning Rookie of the Year after averaging 16.8 points and 6.3 assists per game.

Rose remained with the Bulls through the 2015-16 season, making three All-Star teams along the way. Unfortunately, injuries sidelined Rose for much of his tenure, including a torn ACL suffered in the 2012 playoffs that cost him the entire 2012-13 season.

He was still tremendous at his best in Chicago, though, averaging 19.7 points and 6.2 assists during his time there.

Rose then played eight more seasons, suiting up for the New York Knicks (twice), Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.

As Charania noted, the first weekend in January "is basically gonna be Derrick Rose weekend in Chicago." That's certainly understandable given Rose's legacy and importance to Chicago, with the highlight being the honors bestowed upon him during a Saturday night game against New York.

Zach LaVine made it clear during Monday's media day session that he's committed to helping the Chicago Bulls be successful this season, but the team is going to keep the door open for a trade involving the two-time All-Star.

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls are continuing to "actively" explore deals involving LaVine.

This comes after LaVine said he is fully healthy and ready to do all that he can for the Bulls as long as he is playing for them.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the team that has been most frequently connected to LaVine in trade speculation, but there is no indication that a deal has ever been close to happening.

It was virtually impossible for a LaVine trade to happen last season because a foot injury limited him to 25 games. He had season-ending surgery on Feb. 8 with a four- to six-month recovery timetable.

There is still a high degree of difficulty for a LaVine trade to become a reality. He has two more guaranteed years and $89 million remaining on his contract, plus a $49 million player option for 2026-27.

Given the restrictions teams face with the new apron rules, there may not be a big market for a player like LaVine. He's an effective scorer with five straight seasons of at least 20 points per game from 2018-19 to 2022-23, but he's a ball-dominant player who doesn't pass much.

Some metrics show that LaVine can be an adequate defensive player with the right support system around him, but that's never going to be a strength of his game.

The Bulls have every reason to explore the market for LaVine. They traded Alex Caruso and let DeMar DeRozan leave in free agency, so expectations are already low for a team that has missed the playoffs six times in the past seven seasons.

If the Bulls could find a deal that gives them anything of long-term value for LaVine, they should probably jump at the opportunity. He could be useful as the No. 2 scoring option for a playoff contender that needs more help on offense.

LaVine has averaged 20.5 points on 38.2 percent three-point shooting in 580 career games over 10 seasons in the NBA.

The Chicago Bulls are aiming to have veteran guard Lonzo Ball on the court when they open the 2024-25 NBA season.

"Going into camp, we'll have to bring him up slowly," executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas said Monday. "He's already played five-on-five but we haven't seen him go through camp so there will be lot of learning... it will take time."

Karnišovas nonetheless confirmed the Bulls are for now operating under the assumption Ball will be available when they hit the road to play the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 23.

The 26-year-old hasn't played since January 2022. Since then, he has experienced persistent knee problems that required three different surgeries.

The Bulls ran out to the best record in the Eastern Conference when they had Ball healthy to start the 2021-22 season. He averaged 13.0 points, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals through 35 games, giving Chicago a dynamic two-way threat in the backcourt.

It's not a total coincidence things steadily unraveled from the moment he got hurt and that the Bulls failed to reach similar heights in the two subsequent seasons. They simply didn't have another player who could replicate his playmaking and defending together.

Now, Ball is rejoining the team as it pivots toward a rebuild. DeMar DeRozan left in a sign-and-trade and Chicago got much younger by swapping Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. Acquiring Giddey, whose offensive skill set overlaps a bit with Ball, led some to also wonder whether there was a level of organizational pessimism about Lonzo long term.

Playing in NBA games again would obviously be a massive step for Ball. Recent comments by head coach Billy Donovan on 670 The Score's Mully & Haugh Show underscore that many variables are still at play.

"The thing that Arturas mentioned, which is critical, is we don't know how he's going to respond after games, after practices," Donovan said. "Because we haven't seen it. That's where we first got to start off with. Is it something where he plays 15 to 20 minutes and now he's got to take the next day off? Can he play 25 to 30 minutes? How does he respond? The back-to-backs, we don't know any of those things. So we're going to wait to find out."

Donovan added the Bulls "also have a responsibility to make sure that he's in a position where he can play after this season."

Assuming Ball is ready to go on opening night, Chicago may ease him into the rotation over time rather than have him immediately assume the kind of role he occupied before his knee injuries.

Scottie Pippen told Michael Babcock of TMZ that he is in the process of creating a series centered on the championship-winning 1990-1991 Chicago Bulls team, focusing on the game ball used in their 108-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Pippen believes there are "a lot of stories to be told" about the championship basketball, and after 33 years, he has held on to the winning ball.

Pippen told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV Show: "I think that ball really was a start of a dynasty and almost, I want to say, the end of a great dynasty in the Los Angeles Lakers, who we've known for many years in the '80s as 'Showtime.'"

The Lakers won five championships in the 1980s before their loss to the Bulls in 1991, marking the beginning of the Bulls dynasty. The Bulls went on to win six championships in the 1990s, including two separate three-peats with Pippen and Michael Jordan at the forefront.

Pippen stated that he is collaborating with an undisclosed "top filmmaker" to create the series and has not yet announced a release date.

Following the success of Jordan's "The Last Dance," Pippen aims to provide Chicago fans with another glimpse into the Bulls dynasty.

The Chicago Bulls and Coby White reportedly have different views about his best role on offense and his playmaking upside.

According to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, "An off-ball role is not the one White coveted. He's long said he views himself as a point guard."

But Mayberry added that there is "belief within Bulls leadership that White operates best without the added dimension of navigating playmaking responsibilities. In other words, despite his improvement over the years at orchestrating the offense, White is free to be a scorer."

Offseason acquisition Josh Giddey is expected to serve as the primary point guard this season for the Bulls, freeing White to play off the ball. He showed his upside as a scorer last season in a breakout campaign, averaging a career-high 19.1 points

Giddey, meanwhile, has averaged 5.7 assists per game in his three-year career. White has offered a more paltry 3.7 dimes per contest across his five seasons. Whether Chicago's change in role for White works remains to be seen, but it's easy enough to see the reasoning behind the change.

Zach LaVine will be a veteran on a youthful Chicago Bulls lineup following a flurry of offseason moves, but he's reportedly confirmed to the team that he won't block the development of young players during the 2024-25 season.

Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic revealed that LaVine met with members of the organization to discuss the matter.

"Now, there are legitimate questions of how LaVine fits on a team with young talent emerging," Mayberry reported. "But in offseason conversations with Bulls leadership, including coach Billy Donovan, LaVine has vowed not to overstep or stunt the development of younger players, according to a team source."

The two-time All-Star averaged just 19.5 points per game in 25 appearances during his 2023-24 campaign, his lowest scoring average since 2018.

LaVine isn't letting it impact his approach to training camp, though.

Per Mayberry, the shooting guard has been a "willing participant" in team activities leading up to the preseason and joined several teammates in August for a player-organized minicamp.

The Bulls parted ways with multiple veteran contributors over the summer, trading defensive-minded guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for 21-year-old Josh Giddey. DeMar DeRozan, Chicago's leading scorer last season, joined the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade agreement on July 6.

LaVine was reportedly offered to opposing teams in trade talks by the Bulls throughout the offseason, but no deal materialized. He still has three years remaining on a five-year, $215.16 million contract that includes a player option worth just over $48.9 million during the 2026-27 season.

While Chicago may be more focused on developing young players such as Giddey and Coby White compared to competing for a playoff spot entering the season, LaVine seems to be embracing the Bulls' youth movement.

The Chicago Bulls are reportedly adding some experience to their backcourt.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Wednesday that the Eastern Conference team agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with guard Talen Horton-Tucker. Horton-Tucker is from Chicago and will now have the opportunity to make his hometown team.

The 23-year-old spent the first three seasons of his career as a secondary player on the Los Angeles Lakers. He even won a title during his rookie season, although he appeared in just two postseason games during Los Angeles' run to the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

His best season from an individual production standpoint was his first with the Utah Jazz in 2022-23 when he averaged 10.7 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from deep.

Horton-Tucker put up similar numbers last season in Utah at 10.1 points, 3.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds a night while shooting 39.6 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep.

While shooting 33 percent from three-point range still leaves much to be desired, the improved shooting stands out as he heads to Chicago. He will need to take advantage of his opportunities by connecting on those outside shots, especially when opposing defenses collapse on Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević.

The Bulls are not realistically expected to contend this season, so adding young talent like Horton-Tucker is worth the risk.

Perhaps he will take another step now that he has five years of NBA experience under his belt. If he does, he can be part of a youth movement in the backcourt that also includes Coby White, Josh Giddey and Ayo Dosunmu.

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball continued his journey back to the NBA court on Tuesday by playing some 5-on-5 during open runs in Los Angeles.

Ball has been out since January 2021 with a left knee injury and has since had three knee procedures, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in January 2022 before having an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee in September 2022. Cartilage transplant surgery followed in March 2023.

But there's certainly optimism for hope that Ball can return in 2024-25. Namely, he provided it with these comments to TMZ Sports.

"[Fans can expect] me back on the court," Ball said in response to whether he can be expected back next year. "That's all I want to do."

The 26-year-old is on the final season of a four-year, $80 million contract. He averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 35 games during a 2021-22 campaign that saw the team go 22-13 with him and 24-23 without him.

If Ball's able to get anywhere close back to that form, it'll be a huge boost to a team looking to break through to the playoffs for the first time since that 2021-22 season. Chicago is already facing an uphill battle in that regard after losing leading scorer DeMar DeRozan via free agency, but getting Ball back can certainly help.