NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls have ‘zero interest’ in Russell Westbrook swap trade
NBA rumors as of late have linked the Chicago Bulls with the LA Lakers in trade talks. However, a recent reveal by the Chicago Sun Times' Joe Crowley suggests that the Bulls have no interest in trading with the Lakers, especially for Russell Westbrook.
Rumors surrounding the LA Lakers have suggested that the Lakers would be willing to trade Russell Westbrook for a superstar. This has been documented since the offseason and has been met with some inconsistency in the regular season.
While the main sentiment early in the season was that trading Westbrook should be a priority, this has undergone some change over time. With the 9x All-Star putting up solid numbers coming off the bench, the Lakers appeared keen on letting Westbrook play out his contract.
The team was previously linked with the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs in trade talks for Westbrook. The Chicago Bulls, in this regard, emerged out of the blue as talks to potentially pursue Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, or Nikola Vucevic gathered traction.
Read: Reports: Internal discussions conducted for the LA Lakers' trade around Russell Westbrook & two 1st-round picks to Chicago for DeMar DeRozan
While the trade scenario was promising for the Lakers, there has been no development on that front so far. The Chicago Sun Times' Joe Crowley recently reported that the Bulls have no interest in pursuing a deal involving Russell Westbrook. He mentioned this in his article when he wrote:
"So while the Lakers might be looking to make a big trade and have their eyes on the Bulls’ roster, the feeling isn’t mutual. According to a source, executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has no interest in acquiring Russell Westbrook and his expiring contract, even if it means adding draft picks.
"Might that change by the trade deadline Feb. 9? With Karnisovas, everything is usually on the table. As of right now, however, the Bulls are still set on monitoring Lonzo Ball and his surgically repaired left knee, with the hope he will return and give them a glimpse of what they will look like whole."
The Chicago Bulls have zero interest in Russell Westbrook in a potential trade involving DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, per @JCowleyHoops https://t.co/e4OQvQqN68
The mention of Lonzo Ball in Crowley's article presents an interesting situation in Chicago. While Westbrook would be a solid superstar-caliber point guard, Ball showed a lot of upside with Chicago early on.
As a top-quality floor general, Ball ran Chicago's offense well. Additionally, he provided some solid defense on the perimeter as well.
Unfortunately, as Crowley mentioned, Ball hasn't been active for a long time. His recovery is also taking a lot longer than anticipated. While this doesn't bode well for the guard, the Bulls will reportedly remain optimistic.
The Chicago Bulls could explore other trade avenues as well
While the LA Lakers are listed as the primary trade partners for the Chicago Bulls, this doesn't appear to be the case. Given their lack of interest in Russell Westbrook, the Bulls will have to look in another direction.
A few teams have emerged on the radar in this regard. Given the players available on the trade market right now, Joe Crowley additionally listed a few options that Chicago could explore.
A trade that could help the Bulls is the pursuit of Jae Crowder from the Phoenix Suns.
Given that the forward isn't with the team, the Bulls could use an experienced veteran who can add some toughness that the team desperately needs. Meanwhile, Myles Turner appears to be an equally solid target for the Bulls. As a rim-protector, Turner could have solid value.
However, the Chicago Bulls don't have the assets to make such trades happen. Considering this, they may have to set their sights elsewhere.
In light of all the rumors, the Chicago Bulls are on the verge of change. With DeMar DeRozan being linked with the Golden State Warriors, the team may be in a position to blow it all up.