The Chicago Bulls aren’t a championship-caliber team. They have made the playoffs in one of two seasons with their current core, and this past season, they took a huge step backward. Arturas Karnisovas seems intent on competing with the current iteration of the roster, but that may not be a feasible option.

So where do they go from here? Well, KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reported that league executives are “skeptical about the long-term marriage between Zach LaVine and the Bulls.” And Sam Smith of NBA.com noted that DeMar DeRozan has the “most support internally” of the Big Three members. So, maybe the best path forward is to build a new team with DeRozan at the helm.

Chicago just inked LaVine to a massive contract extension this past summer, but trading him could be the best way for them to improve significantly. With that in mind, here are three potential LaVine trades the Bulls could pull off to reshape the roster around DeRozan.

 

Trade #1

Bulls receive: Karl-Anthony Towns

Timberwolves receive: Zach LaVine

You could add some draft picks, add young players to either side, or find a way to even out the value, but the general framework of this trade would benefit both sides.

The Minnesota Timberwolves made a massive mistake trading for Rudy Gobert last summer, and trading Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for a player that fits their team better would be smart.

LaVine would provide them with an extra perimeter scorer, and his efficient scoring and ability to play off the ball could make him a nice fit alongside Anthony Edwards.

Meanwhile, the Bulls would pair DeRozan with Towns and, in tandem, would likely part ways with Vucevic. Towns would diversify Chicago’s rotation.

That said, it would be ironic for LaVine to get traded back to Minnesota after all these years.