The Los Angeles Lakers have spent months seeking a partner on a Russell Westbrook trade, and with the Indiana Pacers firmly in the mix for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, all eyes have turned to the Chicago Bulls. At 11-14, their season hasn't gone as planned. Their roster is aging and riddled with injury-prone players. DeMar DeRozan has spoken frequently about how much he wanted to join the Lakers in 2021. Alex Caruso came from the Bulls to Los Angeles. Nikola Vucevic and his hefty expiring salary would give the Lakers the shooting center they've been looking for. So... are the Bulls a possible fit?
Not according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago-Sun Times, who reports that Bulls general manager Arturas Karnisovas has no interest in a Westbrook trade whether or not the Lakers attach their two tradable first-round picks in 2027 and 2029. The Bulls instead appear to be determined to wait out the return of Lonzo Ball in the hopes that a healthy roster might be able to turn this season around.
Those hopes might be a tad unrealistic. While a healthy Ball would help, there are problems scattered throughout the roster. Zach LaVine, coming off of offseason knee surgery, is having perhaps his worst season as a Bull. It's unclear how healthy he will be able to stay moving forward. Vucevic has bounced back as a shooter, but his defense at the center position is a major problem in a playoff setting. DeRozan continues to thrive, but at 33, it's unclear how much longer he'll be able to do so. Given the age, injuries and general uncertainty surrounding this group, the Lakers present a chance to hit the reset button before it's too late.
Of course, the Lakers may or may not be interested in making a deal with the Bulls. All of the reporting thus far suggests that their preference would be a smaller deal centered around Kendrick Nunn and Patrick Beverley rather than an overhaul with a Westbrook deal.
For all we know, both sides are merely posturing to the media. We're still very early in trade season, and teams won't even be able to trade most of their free agent signings until Thursday (Dec. 15). As we get closer and closer to the deadline, teams will show their hands. By then, the Bulls will have a better idea of whether this group has any meaningful chance to contend, and the Lakers will know how much they want to invest in this group. At that point, we'll have a clearer picture of who is and is not on the table. Until then, all sides appear to be holding strong. The Lakers aren't rushing a Westbrook trade. The league isn't rushing to help them.
