Chicago Bulls Executive Reveals Reason For Trading DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine

Why are the Chicago Bulls blowing it up now?

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For better or for worse, the Chicago Bulls are finally making their much-needed youth movement now. It was a pivot that fans were hoping for a season ago, but they've started the fire sale now. Unfortunately, they haven't gotten much return for it.

In an interview with Chicago Bulls media, Vice President of Bulls Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas, opened up on why the Bulls are pulling the trigger now for their youth movement. His following quotes came from a conversation with K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

After the season, I kind of said about the changes coming. We were telling the truth,” Karnišovas said. “I think very specific players we're targeting---Giddey, in free agency adding certain guys like Jalen Smith, this year's draft pick."

Karnišovas did admit that the timing could have been either too early or too late on the pivot, but went the route of it is what it is now. Since the Bulls are doing it so late, this is just what they have to deal with. Now, they have to figure out a way to get value for Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball.

“And I think three years ago when we came up with our plan, our formula, that worked for a short period of time until we got into injuries," Karnišovas said. The reactions, the second year and then obviously, we waited a third year to see where we at. Now, we're kind of making these changes. You could argue with it's too late or early. But that's where we are right now.”

When it came specifically to trading DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings, Karnišovas was very open about the subject. Part of why the Chicago Bulls waited so long to make any big trades was because they wanted to give DeMar DeRozan a chance out of respect, and how much he brought to the Bulls.

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“When we met with him (in August 2021) and talked about the opportunity, we were committed to winning. And we wanted to win right away," Karnišovas said. "And to your question about like, 'Did we wait too long?' (to pivot), I think DeMar was almost central in that decision of, 'No, give these guys one more chance.’ Like we told him, we're gonna give them an opportunity to win and he was a gigantic part of that reason why we did that."

While the Chicago Bulls wanted to keep DeMar DeRozan, they wanted to do right by him and allow DeMar a proper chance to compete for a championship again, especially since Chicago wasn't doing that anymore.

“You know, the pivot away from him, I would love if he was still a Chicago Bull right now," Karnišovas said. "But I think doing right by the organization and letting him explore that opportunity to go somewhere else and try to win, we were not positioned well enough to bring him back. And two, trying to help him chase that dream (of winning) as well.”

It remains to be seen whether the Chicago Bulls actually trade away Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, but it's very clear that they're trying. However, they can't just trade All-Stars away for nothing, and have to figure out a way to build for the future.