The 2018 30-team NBA mega-trade that solves nothing and makes everyone mad
By Ian Levy
Chicago Bulls
Sending out: Robin Lopez, 2020 second-round pick (DET)
Bringing in: Derrick Favors
The Chicago Bulls were working on a massive rebuild but then a mid-season hot streak indicated that they may not have as far to go as they thought. Zach LaVine is back and healthy (and still working on his woeful defense). Kris Dunn and Jerian Grant both look like solid in unspectacular options at point guard. Bobby Portis is showing flashes and Lauri Markkanen would be in the Rookie of the Year conversation in almost any other season.
Here the Bulls make a hard pivot towards the more immediate future. Chicago sends out Robin Lopez, not part of their long-term plans. In return they get Derrick Favors, a free agent this summer, in the hopes that they can convince him to stick around. Favors is a solid defender and versatile offensive player, miscast as a power forward next Rudy Gobert in Utah. In Chicago he’d make the perfect center complement next to Markkanen.
There’s always a chance that Favors leaves this summer and the Bulls don’t keep anything, but they’ll still have a top pick in this year’s draft to land some additional help for this young roster.