While certain teams have already made a splash during free agency this year, the Chicago Bulls are still stuck with All-Star guard Zach LaVine and his massive contract. Even if that’s the case, the franchise is still hopeful they can trade him and get some sort of value in return.
The 2023-24 season saw the team struggle to improve on their 40-42 record from the previous year, finishing with a 39-43 record and missing the playoffs. Despite some minor roster changes, including the addition of new players like Onuralp Bitim and Henri Drell, the Bulls were unable to find consistent success.
The team’s performance was led by veteran stars like Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and DeMar DeRozan who continued to anchor the offense. However, the supporting cast was inconsistent, and the Bulls failed to gel into a cohesive unit. Injuries and inconsistency plagued the team throughout the season, leading to their disappointing finish as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the end, Chicago was able to secure a play-in tournament berth, but were ultimately eliminated by the Miami Heat, ending their season. The front office and coaching staff will need to carefully evaluate the team’s strengths and weaknesses in the offseason and make strategic moves to improve the roster if they hope to return to the playoffs next season.
Chicago Bulls’ Front Office Still Hopeful They Can Trade All-Star Guard Zach LaVine
A big reason why Chicago underwhelmed again last season was the absence of LaVine due to a foot injury. As a result, the front office attempted to make the most out of the situation by trading the All-Star guard. However, there seems to be no takers, especially during free agency this offseason. Even so, the franchise still remains hopeful, as discussed during an episode of Bulls Talk shared on X.
There are two teams still interested in Zach LaVine. Will the Bulls be able to pull off a trade soon?
Bulls Talk Podcast: https://t.co/lgYRaY36JM pic.twitter.com/lwYsrgu9Kc
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) July 1, 2024
When healthy, LaVine can be an effective source of offense for any team that would want him. In 25 games last season, he averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
While there aren’t any rumblings yet on LaVine getting traded, there are still a couple of months before the new season starts. Hopefully, the Bulls find a way to move on from him while giving the guard a better situation to play in.
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