In the NBA, making the perfect team is nearly impossible, but the Chicago Bulls could get a bit closer to their ideal version.
The Bulls have struggled to make any significant noise in the NBA over the past few years, being firmly stuck in the middle. With no impressively high draft picks, no notable postseason runs and no true stars to build around, the Bulls have simply existed.
After years of mediocrity, the Bulls at least began choosing a direction by letting the duo of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine continue their time together in Sacramento after a series of moves in the past year. The next logical move would be to send out Nikola Vucevic, and Bleacher Nation’s Elias Schuster might have the perfect solution.
In Schuster’s three-team trade proposal, the Bulls would send Vucevic to the Charlotte Hornets while adding Nic Claxton, Grant Williams and a lottery-protected pick from Charlotte. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets would get Patrick Williams, Josh Green, a Portland first-round pick via Chicago and a couple of second-rounders from Charlotte.
While there are various moving parts in this deal, the main feature for the Bulls would be replacing Vucevic with Claxton. A more traditional big man, Claxton is an athletic 6-foot-11 rim protector who would give Chicago some much-needed interior defense.
Add in Claxton’s ability to throw down lobs, and he could be the perfect big to pair with Josh Giddey, assuming a deal gets done this summer. Claxton wouldn’t solve all of the issues the Bulls have had inside, but he certainly wouldn’t hurt.