Chicago Bulls: Why Kyrie Irving being traded to Chicago would NOT have been a good idea
Amidst the Kyrie Irving drama in Cleveland, many Chicago Bulls fans are left frustrated after hearing rumors of Irving’s desire to play alongside Jimmy Butler pre-draft. However, acquiring Irving would not have been the right move for the Bulls.
It has been a difficult time for Chicago Bulls fans, to put things lightly. Many were enraged by the front office’ decision to trade all-star Jimmy Butler to Minnesota. Fans felt that the front office could have received more for Jimmy or simply just not traded him in the first place. Being the face of the franchise following the overdue departure of Derrick Rose, many fans felt the Bulls should’ve built their team around Jimmy Butler. Much to their dismay, the front office had other ideas.
Weeks following the trade, reports came out that all-star Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving requested out of Cleveland. To make matters worse for Bulls fans, Chicago had reportedly been a desired destination for Irving. However, this is no longer the case. It’s been reported that before the draft, Irving requested a trade to the Bulls to play alongside Butler.
Embracing the rebuild
Although the thought of a Wade-Irving-Butler big three is enticing, it wouldn’t be the right direction for the Chicago Bulls. That trio would be reminiscent of the Rose-Butler Bulls. There simply wouldn’t be enough depth or talent for this hypothetical Bulls team to win a championship. The talent would still trail that of Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio, Houston, and Boston. There’s no reason for the Bulls to play for sixth place.
It’s good this trade didn’t happen because it shows commitment to the Bulls’ inevitable rebuild. In a league where Lebron James runs the East, it’s better to be prepared for the future. Time and time again, Lebron has been Chicago’s kryptonite in the playoffs. However, he inevitably won’t be around forever.
By getting younger and rebuilding, the Bulls are getting a head start on the post-Lebron era in the NBA. In the Jimmy Butler trade, the Bulls acquired Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and 7th overall pick Lauri Markkanen. Despite much criticism, these are three young players with a lot of potential.
What the Bulls have
Zach LaVine, depending on how he comes back from ACL surgery, has a lot of up side and is a talented scorer. Assuming he can return healthy, LaVine can be a top scoring option for Chicago.
Kris Dunn is believed to be the future for this team at that point guard position. Dunn is a good defender and has the potential to turn into a Butler-esque type player. Even Markkanen being highly versatile as a big to stretch the floor bodes well for Chicago. He can be a great complement to Nikola Mirotic or when Mirotic is off the floor.
Next: Remaining free agent targets for Bulls
Although many aren’t fond of the Butler trade, the assets the Bulls received have tremendous potential upside. I don’t believe the Bulls will be contenders for a while. However, they’re taking steps in the right direction. It would’ve been enticing for the Bulls to trade for Irving and remain middle of the pack. But in the long term, committing to the future will prove more rewarding for the Chicago Bulls.