Grading the Last 5 Big Chicago Bulls Trades #nba #nbatrades #bulls
Let’s grade the last five major trades the Chicago Bulls have made. So, the first one came back at the 2025 deadline. They finally traded away Zackine. It was definitely a few years too late. They got back Trey Jones, Zack Collins, Kevin Herder, matching salary, and they got their first round pick protection lifted from the San Antonio Spurs. They got Darren Fox. I’m going to give this trade a C+. It’s not a great return whatsoever from Zack Lavine, but at least they actually needed that protection to be lifted because they finished outside the top 10. So, they made a one for one player trade back in June of 2024. This may shock you, but I’m going to give them a B for the Josh Giddy Alex Cruso trade. Alex Cruso didn’t make a lot of sense in Chicago, and if they got first round picks from the Thunder, they probably weren’t going to be great in first round picks either. They were going to be at the end of the first round. Wasn’t a great 2024 draft class. Josh Giddy was a solid player for them last year. Then we’ll go to August of 2021 where they were in a three-team trade with Portland. They got Derrick Jones Jr. and a future first round pick from Portland that’s still lottery protected today for basically Lowry Market. And I’m going to give this one a C. Markin was never going to shine in Chicago in August of 2021. 3 days apart, they went out and got Demard Rosen from San Antonio in a sign of trade. Got Lonzo Ball from the Pelicans in the sign and trade. Those two moves I’m giving them a B+. Up until January of 2022, the Bulls maybe were the best version of a Bulls roster we’ve seen since Dererick Rose, Joe Noah, and Jimmy Bummer in the 2010s. And then lastly, I got to give this one an F. They traded away the pick to Fran Vogner, the pick to Jed Howard, Auto Porter Jr., Wendell Carter Jr. here for Nicole Vuchic and Alfarukamino.
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18 Comments
Heat next
Bulls fell off ever since the DRose days
Zach lavine trade is an F for me
Sigh 😂
W vid ❤❤❤
Cavs
People glazed that Vucevic trade when it happened. Always thought that was a horrible trade for the Bulls. Aged even worse than I thought.
Our front office dont know when to sell high 😔
Do the Jazz
Raptors
No Ball trade for Okoro
Do Grizzlies 😊
Josh giddy trade seems like an A and a win win trade
Franz Wagner only makes the Vucevic trade bad, Otto Porter (retired), Jett Howard (non rotation player), and Wendell Carter Jr who is still not as good a player as Vucevic 4 years later
The pick for Franz Wagner: 🤩
The pick for Jett Howard: 😬
So embarrassing
Today, I want to speak not just as a fan of the game, but as someone who appreciates the strategy, the emotion, and the deep history behind one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises: the Chicago Bulls.
For decades, the Bulls have stood as a symbol of excellence, resilience, and reinvention. From the glory years of the Jordan era to the gritty fight of the modern squad, this team has always captured the hearts of fans not just in Chicago, but around the world.
When we talk about trades in basketball, it’s easy to focus on numbers, stats, and contracts. But behind every trade is a story — of vision, of risk, of trying to build something better. The Bulls’ front office, often scrutinized, has had moments of brilliance and moments of challenge, just like every team navigating a constantly shifting league.
Take, for instance, the trade that brought Nikola Vučević to Chicago. Some questioned the timing and cost. But what it represented was boldness — a belief that the city of Chicago deserved a team that competes now, not later. And while the results have been mixed, the intent was kind-hearted: to give fans hope, to give players help, and to turn a page on a rebuilding chapter.
Then there was DeMar DeRozan — a veteran many thought past his prime. But Chicago believed in him. And in return, DeRozan believed in Chicago. That mutual respect resulted in an All-NBA season, game-winning moments, and leadership that can’t be measured in stat sheets.
Even the rumored and potential trades — whether involving Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, or younger prospects — spark passionate debates. But no matter which side of the argument you fall on, the truth remains: these decisions are hard. They involve balancing loyalty and logic, present and future, heart and mind.
And we must acknowledge the human side too. Players aren’t chess pieces. They’re fathers, sons, teammates, and friends. Every trade means a life uprooted, a jersey changed, a new challenge faced. As fans, our passion should be paired with empathy.
So where does that leave us today?
It leaves us with a team still searching for its next defining identity. It leaves us with a front office that, while not perfect, is trying — trying to balance competitiveness with growth, star power with team chemistry. And it leaves us, the fans, with a job: to keep believing, keep supporting, and keep expecting greatness — kindly, but clearly.
Chicago is a city of champions. Its fans are loyal, smart, and passionate. And while the Bulls may still be a few moves away from contention, they are never far from relevance — because the spirit of this franchise is unbreakable. Plz subscribe to my channel ❤
Jazz next