Who is untouchable on the Chicago Bulls?

Are the Bulls in need of a roster shakeup or is there stability on the horizon?
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After an up-and-down season that ended in disappointing fashion during the Play-in tournament, changes are certain to happen for the Chicago Bulls. With a potentially turbulent offseason ahead, it's hard to tell who will be safe and who will not return next year.

Although the team's executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas balked at the idea of a full-fledged rebuild, he seemed open to reviewing any and all possibilities in an effort to ensure what happened this season does not repeat itself.

"My responsibility is to look at everything. At the end of the day, to be a .500 team is not good enough. It's not good enough for this organization. It's not good enough for the fan base. They deserve better, so I'm going to have to look at everything. How can I help this group to do better? We have to move forward. But I'll be open to anything," Karnisovas said.

Is Zach LaVine safe?

The first player that often comes to mind in terms of a possible move is Zach LaVine. After all, he is the team's most valuable asset and one—if traded—that could net the Bulls the most assets. Consider this: LaVine is just 28 years old and is coming off a season that started sluggishly, but trended upward toward the end.

LaVine finished the season with averages of 24.8 points on 48% shooting to go with 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. While there could be a host of suitors for his services if he's made available, one major roadblock would be his salary, as he signed a 5-year, $215 million deal last year. The first year of that deal starts next season, where LaVine will make $40 million.

Can DeMar DeRozan be traded?

Deebo is the other half of the Bulls' explosive perimeter combo who's entering the final year of a 3-year, $81.9 million deal that he signed in 2021. So far, there have been no talks of an extension just yet, leaving the Bulls at risk of potentially losing him without getting anything in return.

Should the Bulls decide to pivot toward trading the skilled veteran, they could net a hefty return in the form of prospects, draft assets, and/or players who fit their timeline. However, it remains to be seen which direction the Bulls want to take this offseason as they evaluate their assets and carefully examine their options.


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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.