Report: The Bulls are actively looking to trade two star players

The Chicago Bulls are still trying to effectively move forward with their rebuild by moving on from their two most prominent players, according to a report.

According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls are “actively looking” to trade guard Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic. Cowley adds that a key motivator for the Bulls is that they can keep their first-round pick from going to the San Antonio Spurs, as they are currently a top 10 protected team.

Although there has been a lot of talk about potential No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 draft is expected to be one of the most talented classes in recent memory, and the Bulls don’t want to miss out on that. They are at risk of coming out on top in 2021 due to the unfortunate sign-and-trade acquisition of Demar DeRozan.

The Bulls have been trying to trade LaVine for a while now, and they seemed to really step up their efforts this offseason. It still went nowhere, as LaVine’s $43 million cap hit and injury history make him a relatively unattractive trade chip. What makes matters worse is the fact that he still has two more seasons left on his current contract after this one, even though the second year is an option for the player. Vucevic is cheaper and still has one year left on his contract, even though he has just turned 34.

The Bulls posted a 39-43 record last season, and a similar record in the 2024-25 season would definitely put their pick in jeopardy. Whether they manage to sell their two most famous players may depend on the price they set.