I'll never ever understand them not dealing Derozan. Get some picks and potentially a young player. The Vuc deal is sunk cost. They've got the 7th worst record in the league right now and have lost 5 straight.
Reading deeply between the lines, I think they’ll keep DeRozan, re-sign Vucevic and trade LaVine this offseason. The organization seems frustrated with Zach and vice versa.
It seems like Karnisovas is anti full rebuilds. But, obviously, changes need to be made. That’s gonna be hard without picks or cap space.
I agree with you on LaVine. I don't think anyone in the organization will be sad to see him go at this point. I think return on DeRozan IMO will be comparable (given his $$ and he's the better player right now).....but he's also a soon-to-be 34 year old on one of the worst teams in league. No one expected what he's given the Bulls the past 2 seasons. I haven't thought a player was as much as a sell since Kyrie and the Celts. [It's not that I'm high on Lavine as much as it's undeniably was the time to cash in on Derozan]
Not that they're stuck with Lavine.....but he's not worth anywhere near what he's making and the return IMO will be comparable (or less) than what they'd have gotten for Derozan. I also don't believe it's a "deal one or the other" situation (could deal both). I just think you deal the 33 year old -- on an awful team-- playing maybe the best 1.5 years individually in his career ASAP/NOW/Sell High.
They can play Pat Williams-Ayo-Dalen Terry and be the 7th worst team in the league. W/o Lonzo, this team is/was doomed. They're a completely different team w/o him. It's been 105 regular season games since Lonzo last played and they're 50-55. Large enough sample size for someone in the organization to realize "Hey we're not going anywhere as constructed". You can't keep with the mindset that Lonzo is ever coming back at this point.
I think the Bulls are letting past deals (Vuc) dictate what they're doing now. Whereas Brooklyn didn't and they've reloaded with picks AND players.