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Should the Chicago Bulls target Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard?

By Khari Thompson

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Should the Chicago Bulls pursue disgruntled superstars Kawhi Leonard and Damian Lillard, and do they have the assets to make it happen?

As last night’s completely absurd double-overtime loss to the New Orleans Pelicans continues to show, this Chicago Bulls basketball season makes absolutely no sense.

After years of refusing to rebuild, the Bulls organization finally gave up the ghost and committed to tearing it down and starting over with Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine as their new franchise core.

In the meantime, they more or less tried to forfeit this season in hopes of getting a generational talent at the top of the 2018 NBA Draft.

The problem that continues to manifest itself, however, is that this Chicago Bulls team is currently too good to tank.

Unless the Bulls trade away half their roster by the trade deadline, they’re not going to make it into the top four of the draft. All those tanking plans will have gone to waste.

But is there another way to get this team where it wants to go? Can they get a franchise-changing talent without having to lose right now? Could they trade for or sign a superstar player and reset their timeline for success?

A few intriguing, albeit long-shot, opportunities may be presenting themselves. In particular, two of the best players in basketball, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard and Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard, may be looking for a way off their current squads.

Could the Chicago Bulls realistically make a play for either one with the assets they have?

First, Leonard, one of the five best players in basketball when healthy, appears to be at odds with his situation in San Antonio.

Reports started leaking yesterday that Leonard and the Spurs disagreed on how Leonard was rehabbing from the quadriceps injury that has hampered him this season. Though San Antonio denied this, there are other aspects of this story to consider.

The main headline that could lead Leonard away from the Spurs? They’re old, and their championship window seems to have closed.

Though they’re still plugging away in the Western Conference, the Spurs are relying on the likes of Manu Ginobili and Pau Gasol as key contributors alongside Leonard (when healthy) and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Tony Parker just agreed to a benching for Dejounte Murray while he recovers from injury, but he’s a key piece as well.

Aside from that, what indicates that the Spurs are going anywhere meaningful with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets ruling the roost? At this point, it’s even fair to wonder if Leonard would accept his impending super-max deal—five years, $219 million—if he doesn’t see this team going anywhere.

Now, the Spurs likely want nothing to do with trading him if he can help it, and that huge money could persuade him to say. But if they can’t get past their issues, it’s open season for Leonard.

As for Lillard, who still hasn’t formally requested a trade, the desire to finally be able to shine could lead him elsewhere.

Since winning Rookie of the Year in 2013 and making the All-Star team in 2014 and 2015, Lillard was left off the Western Conference All-Star team two years in a row and may miss out again this season despite continuing to dominate.

Sure, if you’re losing out to Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, it does make some sense. But still, few players seem as consistently underappreciated for his play as Lillard is.

People even forgot that it was Lillard’s record that Markkanen broke when he became the fastest player in history to reach 100 3-pointers.

One thing’s for sure: no one would be overlooking him if he came to Chicago. Plus, his contract is already set until 2021, so you don’t need to worry about him jetting somewhere else. Just food for thought.

Again, the Blazers probably don’t want to trade him. But with the team mired at the end of the Western Conference playoff standings and Dame not getting the love he probably deserves, maybe that trade request will come.

Aside from not being in the Western Conference, the Bulls also could tout a young squad that would instantly vault into real contention with the addition of one of these stars. Furthermore, they’d immediately take over as the best player on the team and set the tone from there.

Of course, the overlying issue in a trade situation, naturally, would be what the Chicago Bulls would have to give up to get one of these players.

Sure, you can throw out the names of Mirotic, Robin Lopez, Justin Holiday, Jerian Grant and such as trade bait. But let’s be real: neither the Spurs nor Trailblazers would sacrifice their star players for those guys alone. It’s just not realistic.

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If you wanted to pry a big-time player away from anywhere via trade, you have to include someone like Dunn with Mirotic/other role players, plus possibly two first-round picks. Given the way the Chicago Bulls tend to overvalue their assets, one can’t assume they’d pull that trigger.

That said, they should consider it.

As much as I really like what Dunn is becoming, I’d sacrifice him for Leonard or Lillard in a heartbeat.

One is no worse than the fifth-best player in the NBA and undoubtedly the league’s best two-way player when healthy. The other is a legitimate star (at minimum)/borderline superstar at point guard. Both immediately turn this team into a potentially scary playoff contender if brought over.

Dunn, while having the potential to be a very good player, probably doesn’t have the ceiling of either one. As such, if this were a real discussion and Dunn tipped the scales, you do the deal.

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Yes, everyone has their heart set on getting/missing out on the likes of Marvin Bagley, Michael Porter Jr., and Luka Doncic. That’s, after all, what the plan was heading into the season.

But adjusting the plan doesn’t have to be a bad thing as long as you keep the ultimate goal in mind.

People might think it’s crazy to even suggest, but remember that basketball isn’t like any other sport in this regard. Getting one player can change the equation completely for your team.

If you’re so eager to see that with a young (unproven) kid, why not make a play for two of the best players in basketball about to hit their primes?

Not saying that it will happen, but it’d be a nice alternative if this whole tanking thing doesn’t work out. At the least, why not turn over the stones and see if you can find something the Spurs or Blazers want? The potential return could be enormous.

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