Is there a trade possibility between the Lakers and the Bulls: LaVine is not a good fit for the Lakers, and Caruso is a hot match

Originally compiled from: The Athletic

作者: Darnell Mayberry

原标题：Are Lakers, Bulls natural trade partners? Where does Chicago go from here?

A four-game winning streak won't calm the frustration of Chicago Bulls fans.

Whether it's players and coaches, or management and team owners, people are ready for change. Alliance insiders believe that day is coming.

What's next for the Bulls?

That's the main problem the Bulls are facing right now.

As a Bulls fan, this is the most aloof and unmotivated I've ever felt. Not only is the current situation objectively very bad (terrible, aging team with few valuable assets or promising young players), but the man who has led them into this dead end and advanced the future to build a most mediocre team is still calling the shots, and he recently signed a contract extension. Why should I, or any other Bulls fan, be hopeful?- Nick B.

Why are we still looking at this team?- Jeff D.

Both Nick and Jeff are very gentle. Others left similar sentiments. There are some expressions that are less civilized. The current state of the team rightfully makes fans nervous. The continuation has come to an end. The Bulls were likewise unable to shake off mediocre results. People who pay attention want to see change.

But that doesn't mean there's no point in watching the game. Alex Caruso plays as hard as anyone in the NBA. DeMar DeRozan was still able to take over the game in the fourth quarter. Koby White, Patrick Williams, and Ayo Dosunm are growing. Over the past four games, the Bulls have managed to improve the spectacle of the game. Watching the game isn't the worst thing. It's futile to just believe that the Bulls can continue to perform at a high level.

Nick has legitimate concerns about those who have led the Bulls into this storm and why anyone else should believe they have what it takes to lead the Bulls out of this mess. In the first half of the 2021-22 season, the Bulls played well under the leadership of healthy Lonzo Ball. It was so long ago that it's hard to continue to praise the management for putting the team together. That was two seasons ago. It only lasted half a season. Since then, the management hasn't done anything to improve the team's roster.

My biggest concern for the future of management is that they insist on building a competitive team. This is admirable. But perhaps this is not the best course of action. It feels like a recipe for getting stuck.

What are the odds that the Bulls will do what they need to do and trade everyone out? - Brandon B.

Destroy it. This team is not good. They tried, but failed. Let's start over. Our goal should be to win the championship and not get into the play-offs. I've heard arguments like, "Do you remember how bad the post-Jordan era was?" Yes, I do. I'd rather go through it again than watch this team continue to iterate. Here's a question: Would you rather have the Pistons roster or the current Bulls roster? My thinking is that at least those young players [the Pistons] still have the potential to grow. I don't see that in these players (the Bulls). - Paul D.

I'd rather have a Pistons lineup. But in Chicago, is it necessary to rebuild it completely? For me, that means trading, as you say, trading everyone. I don't think this will happen, and it shouldn't happen. Personally, the Bulls are showing us the talent in their roster. Some of them may be limited. Some are new. Most are unstable. But they don't have to all go.

Caruso is a successful player and the kind of player that any team builds its culture with. Unless a contender calls with a first-round pick, I'm going to keep him. White, Williams, and Dosunm are also valuable as role players. They will continue to improve.

The problem is that the Bulls don't have the superstars who can bring it all together, which brings them back to where they started before the era began. But the passage of time is enough for us to understand that the three main players that the Bulls rely on have not allowed the Bulls to rise. One of them must go. Or two. The rest of the one might be salvage.

LeBron James says Los Angeles is in dire need of major changes. They could now have DeRozan on loan on a bargain, but don't you think Zach LaVine is a better fit there and can shine under James' wing? - Abe R.

Does anyone think we might need to add a draft pick to trade LaVine away, but we're not going to get anything but a bad player and his dishonorable contract? - John S.

I wouldn't say LaVine is the best candidate for the Lakers. That guy was Buddy Hield, and the Lakers screwed up the deal. LaVine sounds like an ideal candidate next to James because he can shoot. But LaVine should be put on the Lakers and hidden in the corner to see how it goes. It may be that what we think is good for Ravan is different from what Ravan wants for himself. But I agree that LaVine is a better fit for the Lakers than DeRozan.

I'd be shocked if the Bulls added any draft capital to LaVine's trade. I don't agree with classifying LaVine as a bad player, nor do I agree with classifying his contract as a shameful one. He got a reasonable price. Despite a terrible start to the season for him, LaVine deserves the money he earns.

How can this team be turned around? Is this overriding the power of the owner? How can the Bulls fans force the owner to step down? I think most fans think Billy Donovan is a terrible coach. So would more billboards help? Can fans resist watching games and hurt Jerry Reinsdorf's wallet before we see a change? As a fan, I'm really confused that this team won't get my money anymore, and I encourage my fan friends to do the same. Darnell, help! - Dillon S.

Is it possible to get Reinsdorf to sell the team? All the news I've seen says he's ready to do nothing. I can't think of anything worse than maintaining the status quo for the foreseeable future. You know, this is also the consistent style of Reinsdorf. What does it take to break the "business as usual" situation? - Ben S.

Of course, the Bulls are playing so badly that the owner must take some responsibility. The owner is not responsible for recruiting players, nor is he responsible for directing them, let alone passing and dribbling. But the boss's role is to set the tone for the organization, provide resources, and act as a good backing.

It's taboo for sports writers to come here, it's certainly not a panacea, so I don't recommend it. But the greatest power that fans have is purchasing power. The best way to get the attention of American business people is to pass the bottom line.

But the Bulls, with their rich history and gold market, are the cash cow of the Reinsdorf family. Why would they want to sell the team?

What does the team think of Nikola Vucevic? Why does he still start and play at big times? Do they believe he is just in the doldrums and that his performance could improve? Do they want to restore his trade value with some kind of hot performance? Is there any political reason why they don't put him on the bench? I don't see anything encouraging in his performance. For the past few seasons, there has been nothing behind him. But Andre Drummond has been even better this season, and he has been much better with his team on the field than Vucevic. In theory, Vucevic could help the team open up space, but in practice, he gave up countless open threes and squandered his best chances. Please explain. - Cero Z.

Obviously, this is not evident from the Bulls' three-year, $60 million contract extension with Vucevic. But they loved him. He's an all-around big man who can provide consistency up front. He's not the most dominant center, but he's effective in every way and brings value. He's been an inconsistent goalscorer but has also hit some important balls. He's an average defender at best, but last season the Bulls had a top-five finish under him.

Vucevic is also a good passer, he is selfless. He often gave up three-point shots and tried to make the team's offense faster. Like everyone on the Bulls, Vucevic has had his ups and downs this season. But he's not as bad as you say.

Drummond played well in the game, but I don't think his playing time will increase significantly. Judging by the frequency of his mistakes and his limitations, Drummond doesn't deserve more playing time and certainly can't replace Vucevic.

Will the Bulls admit they made a mistake in selecting Patrick Williams in the draft? or will they wait until the end of the season to match any contract offers he may have received and hope things turn around? - Eric M.

How does it count as an acknowledgment of a press release, a Twitter deal?

As long as Tyrese Haliburton is on a killing spree in Indiana, the Bulls don't need to say or do anything. The Pacers' 12th pick at Williams' 2020 draft has ensured that the mistake won't be forgotten anytime soon. The Bulls' retention of Williams as a restricted free agent wouldn't change that either.

Williams still has a lot of time to prove that he belongs with the Bulls. With his defense and point-up shooting alone, he deserves a spot from the Bulls. But what about the price? That's where the Bulls and Williams' valuations can be very different. My gut feeling is that it's money, not Williams' abilities, that will determine his future. The Bulls and he weren't over yet.

Rebuilding seems to be the best option. But as I understand it, Donovan wasn't interested in rebuilding when he was first hired. Considering his recent contract extension, and the owner's reluctance to pay a salary for a coach who is no longer coaching, what do you think this means for Donovan, the coaching position, and how the management is dealing with the rebuild and its future timeline?

We can't assume that the Bulls will do a rebuild. There is no indication that this is the direction they want to go. Bulls management made a conscious decision not to bring down the team in 2020, and management is now struggling to stay competitive. I don't think they're going to do a big change and bring in a lot of young talent. We're looking for mid-career players who can join the Bulls now and help them win.

In Oklahoma City, Donovan was asked about leaving the Thunder for the Bulls. In his most revealing answer to date, he said that the people he works with every day are more important than anything else. The team is cyclical, he said.

In my opinion, it is interesting that Donovan seems to be more suited to a young, impressionable team than a ready-made, star-studded team. Take a look at his history. He planted a trail on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. He had repeated first-round defeats with Westbrook and Paul George. Now, along with LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevic, he can be said to be underperforming.

However, Donovan has a long history of success in developing young players. With the Thunder, he has helped young players such as Shay Gilgeous Alexander, Domantas Sabonis, Luguentz Dort, Steven Adams, Andre Roberson and Darius Beazley thrive. With the Bulls, he was instrumental in the early mentoring of White, Dosunm and Williams.

Who's to say that Donovan isn't willing to do anything but dedicate more time to the team?