The Chicago Bulls should consider blowing it up before it’s too late

The other night, when the Chicago Bulls gave up a 20-point lead to the Indiana Pacers (who were riding a 7-game losing streak, mind you) and lost, that might have been the final straw for this season.

The Bulls have played great basketball at times, this year, and at other times have played down to their competition like in that matchup against the Pacers.

At their best, the Bulls look like a top-four team in the East and have beaten teams like Milwaukee and Boston. But, the truth is, this team is going nowhere and will finish with the eighth seed at best. It might be time to blow it up before it’s too late.

Chicago has some pieces, right now, that could be valuable in a potential trade.

Right now is the best time for the Chicago Bulls to blow it all up and make some trades.

For one, Zach LaVine is in the first year of his max contract and, at times, it’s looked like an enormous overpay. Starting next season, his salary exceeds $40 million and, let’s be honest, he’s simply not worth it.

But, over his last 10 games, LaVine is averaging 27.1 points, 5.5 boards and 4.1 assists. He’s actually shown improvement on the defensive side of the ball, too. Trying to trade LaVine might be worth it, in the long run, for some financial flexibility.

Then, there’s Nikola Vucevic, who is playing at an All Star level. Vucevic is on an expiring contract, and if the Bulls really want to commit to a rebuild, then dealing him for just about anything would make a lot of sense at this point. But, a late first-round pick might just be in the cards.

Trading Vucevic now, before the Bulls risk losing him in free agency, could make some sense.

Finally, it would be a sad day, but dealing DeMar DeRozan could net a huge return. A team like the Memphis Grizzlies, who need a strong veteran presence, could be a great fit.

This Bulls team is not one that’s going to compete for a championship, as much as fans might hate to admit it. If the Bulls could trade one or two of their big three, in exchange for a sum of first-round picks, that would give the front office the ammunition to truly build this thing from the ground-up.