The Chicago Bulls are facing what promises to be a very interesting summer for the fledgling organization. Billy Donovan’s squad is coming off a loss in the NBA Play-In Tournament and has not won a playoff series since all the way back in 2015.
Sure, a lot of the focus in Chicago is on the future of wing Zach LaVine. He’s coming off an injury-plagued 2023-24 season and will likely be traded for pennies on the dollar.
Chicago’s brass has to make a decision between remaining somewhat relevant in the Eastern Conference or blowing this thing up and starting anew.
That’s where the 11th overall pick in this month’s NBA Draft comes into play. The expectation is that front office head Artūras Karnišovas and Co. will use the selection rather than trade it for proven assets. It would be a way to add to what’s a pretty decent young core group in Chicago.
However, recent reports suggest that the Bulls could end up being active once Day 1 of the draft comes calling on June 26.
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Chicago Bulls reportedly targeting Matas Buzelis in NBA Draft trade
Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported recently that Chicago is eyeing former G-League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis in a potential trade up from the No. 11 pick. He’s expected to go within the top five, meaning that this would be no small trade.
Teams are high on the 6-foot-10 forward due to perceived upside. A native of Chicago, he averaged 14.3 points to go with 6.9 rebounds on 45% shooting from the field for the Ignite last season.
The Bulls remain high on fellow forward Patrick Williams. The idea of pairing him up with Buzelis could make a lot of sense.
Chicago has assets to move in a potential trade up. That includes the Portland Trail Blazers protected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Related: NBA Draft analyst predicts Chicago Bulls will use first-round pick on replacement for Lonzo Ball