2. Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls’ grand vision for a trade deadline swap that would push them to the postseason backfired in grand style. While Nikola Vucevic was able to put up numbers, the former Magic star was unable to help Zach LaVine taste the postseason, and Chicago lost their Top 10 pick to Orlando as a result of this deal.
Arturas Karnisovas will likely try to find more role players to line up alongside LaVine and Vucevic rather than completely blowing everything up, meaning that a player like Trent could be had if Chicago comes up with the cap space.
The Toronto Raptors should be worried about the Bulls looking at Gary Trent Jr.
Signing Trent and sticking him at small forward would make for a hellacious triad between him, LaVine, and point guard Coby White. With Lauri Markkanen likely to be employed elsewhere next year, moving No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams to power forward alongside Vucevic would make Chic ago one of the deepest starting lineup among mid-range Eastern Conference teams.
With the ability to add a stud wing next to LaVine in the draft now officially closed off, Karnisovas likely has no other choice except to spend big or running it back with the same squad. The Bulls could intrigue Trent, and they could see just how much the Raptors want to keep him as part of their future plans.