Chris Feldman: With the rumors that De'Aaron Fox wants to get to San Antonio, I'm wondering if the Bulls could get involved with that. Here's a trade that works via the trade machine that would accomplish several goals. Bulls send Lavine to the Kings, a team that had expressed interest in him in the past and would be a "win-now" player, as they requested. It also gets Zach to the California area. Kings send Fox to the Spurs. They also send Keegan Murray to the Bulls. Spurs send Harrison Barnes and Zach Collins to the Bulls, along with wiping out their obligation regarding the 2025 draft pick so the Bulls own it again, and send various draft compensation to the Kings. End result: Zach gets to the west coast, Kings get a win-now player and draft picks for the future, Spurs get Fox, Bulls get another young talent and their draft pick back.
Sam: Bring ‘em on! This is the final Ask Sam….before the trade deadline Thursday. So next week we discuss — hopefully! Finally? — some activity. Which is one reason despite doubt in some forums that I believe the Bulls will be involved with at least a few transactions. Maybe it’s not ideal, but there does seem some urgency not to have to face that semiannual media session again without anything to discuss. It is possible given the NBA’s financial landscape with punishing aprons (who came up with that goofy — and misleading — description?) and enough teams not anxious to improve that despite the Bulls best efforts…But there does seem too many possibilities this time. And at least the outline of a direction this time in the wake of the DeRozan and Caruso departures and the Bulls hanging around .500 again midseason that some form of turnover will continue. It does seem like from all the whispers and speculation that Fox has his eyes on San Antonio and lob city to Wembanyama. True, the Spurs may not have that NBA-ready talent to exchange for Fox. Though they do have a heck of a lot of valuable draft picks. Even if the Bulls retain the pick this season by finishing bottom 10, the Spurs have rights to it in 2026 and 2027 unless the Bulls are bottom eight. Anyway, the Spurs have their pick and Atlanta’s for this season and the Hawks are now descending. And the Spurs with a Hawks and Jazz unprotected picks and their own next season. Throw in Keldon Johnson, maybe Devin Vassell? Seems like there’s enough there to get the Kings headed in a better direction. It’s true Zach and the Kings have had eyes on one another for years, but they have to have seen what we did, that Zach and DeMar didn’t work, and it’s certainly given their experience and age not a starting point for an assault against the young athletes at the top of the conference. The Kings should get much more in talent if also draft assets. I doubt the Bulls get in those discussions, but they should be in several. This is the Week that Is.
Kieron Smith: Zach LaVine to Detroit for Bobi Klintman, Ausar Thompson, and a second round draft pick?
Sam: Zach was mentioned often last season about going to Detroit and the conspiracy theory — which seems ridiculous now as most of them are given what we’ve seen of his play compared to last year — then was he opted for surgery so he wouldn’t be traded to the Pistons. He obviously needed that surgery at that time. The view was the young Pistons needed some veteran scoring, and Zach was a fit. Though the way they were losing then they seemed the Siberia of the NBA. Not so much anymore as they are starting to have the appeal of one of the better young teams for the future. And an All-Star in Cade Cunningham. I’ll admit I haven’t watched them much — the Bulls finally see them Sunday for the first of three matchups in 11 days leading to the All-Star break — but the sense you get is they aren’t so motivated the way this season has gone to take another quick step and wouldn’t even mind one more lottery trip. Plus with a new coach, Jaden Ivey emerged and, though he’s out for this season, he’ll be back and probably fits their shooting guard model going forward given the age group of their team. Thompson can’t shoot, but neither can his twin in Houston, Amen, who is lately being elevated to one of the league’s best prospects. So I doubt the Pistons are ready to cash in. They are one of the few teams with cap space left now and likely will be involved in some deal to acquire something to expedite a deal for some other teams. De-troit basketball isn’t back, but they do seem to finally have a pretty encouraging direction.
Art Alenik: No, not that! I hope. Have you heard the rumor about a 5-team deal that would send Zach to Milwaukee and land us Bradley Beal? Seriously? Beal makes $50MM this year and $111MM over the next two (incl. player option for $57MM in 2026-27). And he isn’t nearly as good as Zach. Whoever came up with that must think the Bulls will do the dumbest thing possible just to do something.
Sam: When you are not a serious contender, it’s true, you get treated like you either don’t care or don’t know or success isn’t as important to you as it is to others. Though each team’s fans are just as serious. So, no, I don’t see anything like that. It sounds like from the recent rumors and speculation that Beal with his no trade contract (talk about not knowing what the heck you are doing accepting him with a no-trade) thinks less of being with the Bulls than you do of having him on the Bulls. So you’re Beal and with the Suns, at least a marginal contender, and with one of the greatest players in the history of the game, and you play regularly at least the few times you are healthy, and you are going to waive a no trade to be in Chicago for the winter probably coming off the bench for a team in a personnel transition? And leave Phoenix in winter? If you are smart enough to get the no trade, that’s not likely your agenda. This sounded like one of the many scenarios the Suns probably floated to offload Beal to accommodate a Jimmy Butler acquisition. Jimmy may figure by now no one’s giving me an extension at my age and with my past other than that guy in Phoenix. I can see the Bulls being part of one of those multi-team deals as a facilitator to maybe land some draft picks, and in the process maybe move someone with a big contract. But to take back even more money? Like you, say it ain’t so. Though Zach to the Bucks might just save them assuming it’s Middleton departing. That would be an ideal landing spot for Zach, who I believe would be a big winner if he went to a team with a star who clearly was better. We’ve seen that when Zach joined the Olympic team led by Durant and was a big contributor to a gold medal. Zach’s a winning player. If he’s in the right situation, basically as it is for everyone. After all, I see LeBron and Curry fighting to make the play-in again.
Mack Queenzworth: The Warriors are to retire Andre Iguodala's No. 9 jersey sad ESPN. Statues and jerseys being retired are I feel watering everything down.
Sam: It is, after all, the era of participation trophies. I’d guess they’d have a case as he was there seven or eight years and came back and was a Finals MVP…even if it had to be his family members voting on it that year. Even if Iguodala probably was the fifth most important player on the team, he was part of several championship teams, and that’s usually the tie breaker, which probably is why the Bulls have had few jersey retirements. I wouldn’t have thought of adding Iguodala, but they have retired the numbers of several players who weren’t part of title teams, and even had bitter or uneven departures, like Rick Barry, Nate Thurmond and Chris Mullin. I tend to agree there are too many, at least, statues, but fans tend to like these things and I do feel that team and NBA history often gets overlooked. So raise a banner.
Rich Palmer: Is the top 10 protected pick before or after the draft lottery?
Sam: The draft order is post lottery, which is the purpose of the lottery. The Bulls actually had a large part of it coming into being. That’s because in the 1983-84 season, half the teams in the league were trying to get in position — then a coin flip between the teams with the poorest records in each conference — for the player many believed might be the best ever…Hakeem (nee Akeem) Olajuwon. Michael Jordan figured to be good. But everyone knew you didn’t win with guards. Anyway, it was a heated race to the bottom eventually won by the Houston Rockets in the coin flip with the Portland Trailblazers (Sam Bowie, No. 2, ouch), who had the draft pick Portland had obtained a few years earlier from the Indiana Pacers for veteran center Tom Owens. Back then draft picks weren’t particularly valued as they are now. Teams, especially in small markets, relied on gate receipts to remain solvent, which meant selling wins. Plus, the NBA basically punished the incoming ABA teams, like the Pacers, denying them national TV revenues, as little as they were, for four years. The Pacers were trying to trade center James Edwards for Owens, but Edwards opted out as a free agent. Without a center, the Pacers offered a future draft pick for Owens. Portland despite having won a title with Bill Walton had by then lost Walton and also were having financial problems. So they likely were just looking to get off salary. Yes, the Pacers would have taken Jordan with the No. 2 pick in 1984. Oh right, I digressed. Anyway, with the rush to Olajuwon — and you think there is tanking now — the league instituted the draft lottery the next season. The Bulls, by the way, always made it clear if given a choice they would have taken Olajuwon No. 1. They settled for Jordan at No. 3. Now with the riches that accrue annually to NBA teams unless they go overboard into the luxury taxes, draft picks not only are vital but revered by their fan bases. So tanking always will exist, though it’s been mitigated reasonably effectively by the NBA with the flattening out of probabilities. Detroit with the worst record — two straight years — fell to No. 5. Which also is why the lottery is so important. The Pistons finally are on the move. So the May drawing determines the top 14 spots in the draft. The rest are in inverse record.
Tucory Stevenson: How about trading Nikola Vučević for DeMar DeRozan or Jordan Poole or Kyle Kuzma? What about trade Nikola Vučević for Brandon Ingram? Deandre Ayton?
Sam: Vučević's name has come up perhaps the most frequently in trade rumors and speculation, understandably given his age and one season left on his contract and the impact he might make immediately with a contending team given the paucity of scoring centers. The Warriors have most been mentioned and lately the Atlanta Hawks, though the latter’s interest supposedly has diminished with their injuries and losing streak. That may be one factor that inhibits dealing. Some teams may decide they are too far away with their record or injuries and back off from doing something now and wait instead until the summer when more teams are in play, and there’s more disappointment and desperation because teams that thought they had a chance maybe were out in the first round. Sports doesn’t have a long memory, or much patience. As for your suggestions, DeRozan, of course, been there done that. Poole and Kuzma are candidates, of course (talk about tanking? Seems like Kuzma has; what’s become of that guy?), but the Wizards are full in with the Jazz racing to the bottom. Sure they’re intentionally being uncompetitive, but the playin has diminished a lot of that. And if a few teams tank every season that’s just the price of the necessity of trying to level the playing field. I hear these suggestions about everyone in the lottery so no one will tank. But the fact of life in everything is some people are better. Sports leagues — why the NFL is so successful — dream of everyone being .500. And thus everyone in contention until the last week. Equalizing the talent is always the league’s goal no matter what they say. Ingram is appealing for his talent, but he’s an unrestricted free agent who’ll be on the open market in a few months available to everyone, would require additional players from the Bulls, and he is injured often. Ayton is an intriguing project and seems eventual excess with an improving Portland team and young center Clingan. He’s got a huge contract about $35 million, almost double Vučević, but he plays a bit too casual for my likes.
Davis Galluzzo: What if the Bulls decide to be buyers at the deadline instead of selling away Vooch and LaVine? They could trade Coby and Pat for a star that could be on the move, maybe like a Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram or Lauri Markkanen again? Have a starting lineup of Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Ingram, Zion or Lauri, Matas Buzelis, Nikola Vučević. That could be something special in my opinion.
Sam: I was getting more of these earlier in the season, but fewer after that brutal mid-January home stand. It would seem with all the smoke (there has to be fire?) that the Bulls aren’t going to be buyers. There’s usually no going home again, though I wonder how Lauri is dealing with this so blatant Jazz tank the way they are almost like the 76ers process plan. Lauri was anxious to leave the Bulls in the new management phase to be in better position to win. But he’s much worse off now, though much wealthier. Like I said, Ingram can walk so you can’t give up much, which is why I assume he’s still there. And they despite Zion’s infrequent appearances when he does appear he’s so appealing that they likely are holding out for a lot, lot, lot. I’m not opposed to special, but it seems like it needs to be with a somewhat younger core featuring Matas. And, by the way, Coby and Pat doesn’t do it quite yet.
Chris Moore: AD is asking for a big in LA and they’ve got future firsts albeit in 2028 or 2029. His stock is likely as high as it gets for us to salvage anything out of that trade. If they trade LaVine they’re nuts. He is the modern NBA. Vooch is to some extent but you can only have ohh so many guys who can’t play D and we need to look to the future and keep Zach.
Sam: I can’t see the Lakers bailing out on the last years of LeBron as you assume it’s the same with Golden State that they have to ride Curry as long as they can since there is no next, as we learned here, at least once Derrick was injured. Maybe there was nothing going on, but I think the Lakers messed up pushing chips in for Finney-Smith when it seemed they could have had Zach. He would have been the perfect complement with LeBron and Davis and maybe not better than the Thunder, but with those veterans and a short series against young teams you figure maybe one last bite. I guess there still are possibilities even with Zach’s salary, but now with Davis’ injury, which maybe is not that bad, it might make some sense for them to take a flier on Vučević for protection when Davis goes out and then some offensive support once he returns as Vučević works best with a defender by his side and Davis always says he wants out of the middle.
Mike Sutera: The Kings are just like us the past few yrs. Big 3 can't defend. They lost to a depleted Sixers team coming off a back to back the other night. It's over. Deal Fox, find someone in offseason to take Sabonis and DeMar. And in OKC Presti jumped the gun with Caruso extension. Another injury. Presti will need to let go of some picks for another offensive weapon at the deadline. Cam Johnson, Jordan Clarkson, Kuzma?
Sam: OKC could use someone like Zach as good as first time All-Star Jalen Williams has been. They rely too much on Gilgeous-Alexander to bail them out on offense, though there really isn’t salary to match and OKC doesn’t traditionally do those kinds of moves. With Chet Holmgren due back soon from that hip fracture — though sadly he always seems an injury waiting to happen with that body, sort of a version of Zion — it’s not unreasonable for them to run it out as is this season and see how it goes given they have led the conference. Not so, obviously, with the Kings, who may have noticed what it took the Bulls a few years to, that DeMar is wonderful to have around, but difficult to fit in. Hardly all his fault, though most were wondering just what the Kings were thinking given their strength was a fast paced offense and defense was an issue. So they add a slow down offensive player who is a weak defender? And expected what results? So De’Aaron Fox seems like the first shoe to drop, and though they sound like they are supposedly seeking a more a Band-Aid approach of veterans to resuscitate this season they could be as you suggest in full recovery mode by this summer.
Ateeq Ahmed: We always wondered where Pat fit best between SF and PF. Now it’s apparent it’s the bench. He’s been great lately. Is his salary too high to come off the bench? Do teams factor that? Imagine that kind of productivity from a 6th man. I would be the happiest fan in Chicago. And happy for Patrick. Maybe it’s time to start Matas?
Sam: We still don’t know what will occur at the trade deadline, though I would not be surprised with Matas’ minutes increasing lately to see him in the 30-minute range once the trading dust clears. Billy Donovan has held out that carrot of responsibility, the earning the minutes mantra that isn’t always consistent. But the future likely will beckon unless, gasp! the Bulls stand pat again. As for Pat, I’ve been among many advocating the team has to at some point has to give him a full look at the small forward/wing to see what they have. Teams as well as fans and media often make the mistake of judging a player by draft position or contract, that paid max you have to perform max or drafted high likewise. It would be nice if the world worked like that, but teams are best when they make judgments based on impact and effect rather than prejudging. Once you are paid or drafted you should have to earn your spot. Like the coaches and managements always say in preseason but rarely enforce that you earn your position and minutes. Williams was widely considered a reach in his 2020 draft, a young prospect who physically seemed a decade older. Executives often reach for a higher ceiling, and you can rescue your franchise that way, like with Giannis, Kawhi, Jokic, Maxey and Brunson, none lottery picks, or Curry, Booker, Shai out of the top five. Few had Williams projected top five, but I heard scouts then say in five years he might be the best player from that draft. OK, he’s not. Perhaps his situation is not a surprise given his comfort in a sixth man role in college even when he was the best talent. But Williams is an NBA player, a good shooter with some defensive possibilities; probably a reserve, but the NBA also gives awards for that. Matas does project for the Bulls with his size and activity more of a power forward than Williams. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of that after the deadline. But still plenty of Williams. All you ever can be is who and what you are.
Adam Velk: I know your mailbag is often reserved for questions devoted to the Bulls, but I was curious if you were tasked with building a playoff team (not play-in) with players that aren't top-3 draft picks and haven't made an All-Star team, who would be your starting five and top bench players? What kind of style of basketball are you building with these pieces? I think success is largely defined by organizational fit and that any "draft bust" could have avoided that label under different circumstances. You can even look at a guy like Jalen Brunson who was solid in Dallas but broke out in New York. Tracy McGrady was nice in Toronto, but was unleashed in Orlando. Gil Arenas from Golden State to Washington.
Sam: Obviously, luck has a lot to do with it. And then not panicking, which Golden State didn’t when Curry had those ankle surgeries and Monta Ellis was at least as popular and they traded Ellis instead, and back at that draft Minnesota took two point guards — before Curry was selected. But talent evaluation also is vital while taking advantage of opportunities as in the cases you mention. It also comes down to the way the game is being played — in many instances has always been played — and some weaknesses you see in the teams that are having success and not. You need some level of toughness and physical play. It’s not as prevalent in this era that is more scrutinized physically, but you need physical players, which can equate to defense. This era obviously requires shooting, but perhaps more so to me athleticism on the wings, players with speed, size and length on the wings to cover the court with their reach and the ability to finish at the basket. It helps to have multiple playmakers, but you especially need someone to organize at the point and run the offense and probably with an ability to attack the paint. The NBA always has been about stars, but there never are enough to go around. You can put yourself in position with the right mix of talents.
Julissa Skaggs: I was in geniune awe listening to Derrick Rose speak about the city he grew up in. Like all the other fans, I wish Derrick had spent his entire career with the Bulls, but I think he was more than deserving of the weekend he had. Do you see any similarities between the D. Rose trade and Klay Thompson one?
Sam: An unusual name to pick because they are pretty opposite, though talented, obviously. Derrick was a leading man, if more he’d show you rather than tell you. Klay also was quiet, but more a supporting player, an all-time elite shooter while Derrick was not a good shooter who after his injuries worked himself into being a credible shooting threat. Klay is an all-time sniper, one of the elite catch-and-shoot players ever. Derrick before his 2012 ACL injury — in my view — was becoming the most ferocious, attacking point guard in NBA history. Never have so may great players been so intimidated on the court trying to defend against Derrick. His explosion at the rim was perhaps unparalleled. What a complement to Derrick that Klay would have been. Though he seemed to have some success with Steph Curry.
Mark Mazrimas: We are never sure what Bulls team we are getting. Which gets me to my question: What to do with this roller-coaster season? Do we go for a playoff spot with faltering 76ers & Heat or do we trade off Lonzo, Vooch & Zach & go for a draft pick? I feel the latter makes more sense. But with Zach playing All Star caliber basketball, I don't just want to give him away for little return and might want to keep him & trade PW instead.
The Feb trade deadline clock is ticking?
Sam: And there’s the rub. There are those games like Denver, et al, where you sit back and say if they just had a little more defensive resistance, maybe another three-point shooter, that Zach and Vooch are playing like All-Stars and you only need two, and….But then is that sustainable? And for how long? And can you just add to that and extend things as Miami does since they don’t use the draft much and don’t have those uncompetitive seasons? Or do you have to use the draft extensively when you see the emerging teams like Oklahoma City and Houston, who have gone through such despair, also like Orlando and maybe now the Pistons. Not that anyone has sympathy for management teams anywhere, but it’s not easy.
Stan Goah: If the Bulls wanted to get their best shot at rebuilding without tearing it down why wouldn't they look at trading LaVine (plus any needed cap filler) for Jimmy Butler? Miami gets a scorer that could allow them to trade Herro for a SF unless they would be fine with playing a wing of Herro and LaVine and the Bulls would get Butler's expiring deal and likely a future 1st rd pick being that LaVine is locked up for a couple more years. This would instantly get the Bulls cap space to pursue free agents and even more of it if you're able to trade Vooch for some expiring deals. Butler only has to be in Chicago for a couple of months and then he'd be free to go land wherever he wanted to go. Sounds like a win for all parties involved.
Sam: I don’t think so. You should know the Bulls aren’t going through the Jimmy Experience again after all sides kept it mostly quiet, but it wasn’t a smooth ride at the close or departure. But more significantly, Jimmy has a $52 million player option — teams routinely get in trouble giving these — he’ll certainly accept unless he gets a long term contract extension. Most teams are not going there, which is why along with the Suns’ financial handcuffs this is proving so difficult even as fans say just trade him. Can you imagine Jimmy next season without a contract extension? If you think hot coffee can burn wait until that one.
James Wallace: I would trade Giddey, Williams, LaVine and Ball to the Spurs for their two first-round picks, Collins, Tre Jones, and return their option on the Bulls pick. Spurs could use a small forward, shooting guard, and point guard. Giddy would be an excellent complement to Wembanyama. LaVine I would hate to lose, and I might offer White instead. Then I would offer Vooch and Collins for Golden States 1st round pick. Bulls walk away with four first-rounders rounders this year. Pray the front office then can do better with the picks.
Sam: It sounds like the Fox to the Spurs thing has been occupying a lot of the oxygen, and the better fit. They’d hardly prefer Giddey, though the Spurs definitely need a point guard to play with Wembanyama. Stephon Castle isn’t really one. The problem is Giddey might not be a point guard. Though there have been injury issues lately that have changed some rotations for the Bulls, Giddey has been quietly moving off the ball quite a bit. He may fit better as a point forward type. Bulls coach Billy Donovan seems to love Lonzo Ball running things while fingers crossed is trying to not play Ball too much to endanger his knees. Giddey is a terrific rebounder and works hard to get extra shots and is unselfish. His defensive issues would be assuaged by Wembanyama’s defensive presence. But if he’s not full-time running an offense for the Bulls, I assume the Spurs have noticed. His circumstance is one of the big questions facing the Bulls. It was time to trade Caruso, who fits better in a utility role with a top team, like the Thunder. And the Bulls needed a point guard to run things. But if Giddey isn’t that — which is still not determined — then what’s the fit? He’s a restricted free agent, so the Bulls can match an offer. But even if you do, you want to make sure he’s the guy you want. Once you have a long term contract, that guy is playing. For now unless they can strike it big looking toward the future, which seems like a Fox deal, it seems like the Spurs are content to ride it out to get their draft pick in good position in a strong draft and the several other very valuable ones they have, and then maybe cash in big time for a big star type. I doubt they are looking to mostly just fill out their roster with immediate needs.
LongGiang Le: Who was a better overall player in your opinion?
Pippen or Julius Erving? My guess is Pippen was better on defense. Julius may have been more of an overall offensive threat. Dr J also played during the pre-3 pointer days.
Sam: Julius wasn’t a very good shooter, but neither was Scottie, below 33% on threes for his career, though a career when we didn’t count or mention the three much. Though Scottie could surprise with some long threes at times. He made a huge one in the 1989 Jordan "The Shot" game that enabled Jordan time to make his shot. Sort of the story of Scottie, always setting up the big play but rarely mentioned after it. Probably why he walked out on that Kukoč three in the 1993 playoffs since a three was needed and he actually had a knack for making some big ones. You could make an argument since Doc wasn’t a great offensive player, or at least shooter, and Scottie may have been the best ever perimeter defender. But I’d have to say Erving for his ability to carry teams the way he did for so long. Several of Erving’s best years were never seen by anyone in the ABA (me, me, I saw a bunch of those games living in Virginia for a time and New York), and it wasn’t just the highlights. Doc carried teams, was a league MVP, won an ABA title, got to NBA Finals as the best player on his team and thus led teams the way Scottie wasn’t able to. Most NBA fans never quite saw Erving at his best since there wasn’t much NBA on TV in the late 70s. Doc also was in his time the face of the NBA, the man who handed that torch of recognition and responsibility to Michael Jordan, and thus one of the top 10, maybe 15 players all-time in the NBA. Bird and Magic had better teams because they had better organizations, but there have been few figures in the history of basketball who’ve had as much impact on the growth of the NBA as Julius Erving. It’s the stuff that gets you in the greatest debates.
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