The Bulls look like a team on the cusp of blowing things up. They were a shade under five hundred last year and have struggled out of the gate (4-8 record) this season. They are the worst thing an NBA team can be, mediocre.
On the bright side, they do have several useful players that can be moved for draft assets. Let’s dig into the roster and see what contending teams could add.
DeMar DeRozan – Age 34 – 1 year $29 Million
DeMar won’t be expensive in terms of draft pick compensation because of his age and expiring deal. The issue with acquiring him is that he needs the ball to be effective. He had a C* in Off-Ball Gravity last season while only attempting two threes a game. I could see him bringing something to the table as a super 6th man. His scoring punch is real, he’s one of the best midrange shooters in the league and finishes effectively. Beyond his lack of 3PT shooting, his playmaking leaves something to be desired and he has historically been a liability on defense. He could be a low-cost option for a team that sustains a big injury.
*Compared to players that played at least 1000 minutes
His 2023 offensive talent grades: (compared to on-ball players / 1000 minute min)
Finishing Talent: B+
Midrange Talent: A+
3PT Shooting Talent: F
Playmaking Talent: C-
Zach LaVine – Age 28 – 4 years $43 Million AAV
LaVine is the opposite of DeRozan in terms of off-ball fit. He has been 98th% or higher in our Off-Ball Shot Making (Shooting that adjusts for difficulty) in each of the last 3 seasons. Offensively, he is the ideal 3rd option on a high-level team. He can score on/off-ball and shoots the 3 well (38% for his career) on volume (over 7 attempts per game last year). His downsides are he can’t defend, he’s not much of a passer, and he’s a top-40 player being paid like a top-20 guy. His contract makes trading for him somewhat difficult. That’s big money for a lot of years.
His 2023 offensive talent grades: (compared to on-ball players / 1000 minute min)
Finishing Talent: A
Midrange Talent: B+
3PT Shooting Talent: A-
Playmaking Talent: D-
Alex Caruso – Age 29 – 2 years $9 Million AAV
Caruso is the best perimeter defender in the league and it’s not close. His 2023 D-LEBRON (Our overall defensive impact metric) was the 2nd best for a guard in our 10-year database trailing only 2015 Tony Allen. Last season, he was first in Defensive Playmaking and top 10 in our Perimeter Isolation Defense, Ball Screen Navigation, and Matchup Difficulty. He is a generational defender on a bargain of a contract. On offense, he is a negative but he is aware of his limitations. He can handle the some, is a good passer, and great cutter. He could very realistically push a contending team over the top.
His 2023 defensive grades: (compared to on-ball defenders / 1000 minute min)
Defensive Playmaking: A+
Perimeter Isolation Defense: A+
Ball Screen Navigation: A+
Matchup Difficulty: A+
Patrick Williams – Age 22 – 1 year $10 Million
Willaims is in his fourth year and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the year, so he could be a rental or he could be retained. He’s an intriguing 3&D player because of his size. He’s a legit wing stopper at 6’7 with impressive movement skills. Last season, he had an A in our C&S 3PT Shot Making metric (Catch and shoot 3PT shooting that adjusts for difficulty) on low volume (3.5 attempts per game)
His 2023 defensive grades: (compared to on-ball defenders / 1000 minute min)
Defensive Playmaking: B+
Perimter Isolation Defense: B
Ball Screen Navigation: B-
Matchup Difficulty: A-
