Chicago Bulls Rumors: Team looking to get into 1st round of 2023 NBA Draft

Thursday will probably be the first Indicator of the direction in which the Chicago Bulls front office wants to take this team.

The 2023 NBA Draft is on Thursday and with the Bulls not having the rights to a pick in either the first or second round, the focus for the team this week has been on different scenarios where they can get involved.

The most likely path to the Bulls’ front office accomplishing that goal would be through a trade of All-Star guard Zach LaVine. The Bulls’ shopping LaVine ahead of the draft has been the worst-kept secret in the NBA and the team has made their asking price known.

As Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times offers a reset on where things stand with the Bulls before the draft, he does mention that the team is motivated to get involved in the first round of the draft.

"Memo to LaVine: Front offices don’t necessarily need to run a trade by you or your representation.That could again be on display as Thursday’s NBA Draft nears (7 p.m., ABC-7 and ESPN), with sources indicating that the Bulls remain active in looking to get their hands on a first-round draft pick.-Joe Cowley via Chicago Sun-Times"

There continues to be smoke to the rumor of the Chicago Bulls trading Zach LaVine.

It feels like the writing has been on the wall for quite some time that the Bulls’ front office does not figure LaVine to be an important piece to their long-term future.

Sure, the Bulls signed LaVine to a maximum contract extension last summer but it was quite literally the only move the team could make in order to retain their hopes of contention. The team then flirted with the idea of trading LaVine to the New York Knicks at the NBA Trade Deadline last season.

As for LaVine, his relationship with the team has not always been in good standing. There were multiple instances this season where LaVine’s poor production and lack of awareness on defense caused friction in the Bulls’ locker room. LaVine was also benched by Bulls’ head coach Billy Donovan during a game against the Orlando Magic at the beginning of the season. After the trade rumors at the deadline, one would have to ask why would LaVine even want to remain with the Bulls.

The Bulls have made it obvious that they are ready for life without LaVine and may start as soon as Thursday.