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The report points out players the Chicago Bulls must avoid at the trade deadline
The Chicago Bulls need to make roster changes in the worst way or risk continuing to get stuck in the NBA’s purgatory—the worst place a franchise can be in. As the trade deadline approaches, there are certain players that the Bulls must avoid at all costs if they want to improve their chances of becoming a relevant team.
Dejounte Murray
The name of Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray has been mentioned more and more as the NBA trade deadline looms on February 8. A stellar guard who has transformed his game from being a defense-oriented stud to a reliable 20-point scorer in the league, Murray has been linked to many teams, including the Bulls.
However, pursuing this path is foolish for the Bulls, wrote Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, as it would deplete the team’s war chest and even hinder the development of their rising star, Coby White.
“What would that accomplish, beyond depleting Chicago's trade tools? Murray is a good player, but he isn't the kind of needle-mover the Bulls would need to elevate anywhere near championship contention,” Buckley wrote.
“Chicago should be searching for ways to get White even more involved and ideally foster further development. Subtracting LaVine only to add another ball-dominant player like Murray wouldn't accomplish that. If anything, the Bulls might wind up giving even more touches to Murray, or spending resources that would otherwise be better invested in White's ongoing ascension.”
D’Angelo Russell
Like Murray, Russell is a player often mentioned in trade discussions and, on paper, might be a good addition to the Bulls—emphasize on “might.” The left-handed guard has been rolling lately, averaging 25.0 points, 6.2 assists, and 2.1 rebounds over his last 10 games. However, Buckley cautions the Bulls against making this transaction.
“The Bulls should absolutely avoid this swap. Russell is essentially a cheaper version of LaVine, an offense-only contributor who isn't always efficient and hasn't enjoyed much playoff success. Again, Chicago's primary focus this trade season should be on best positioning White for more success, and a deal for Russell wouldn't accomplish that one bit.”
