Embrace the tank: 3 surrender trades Bulls can make to ensure they land Cooper Flagg

The Chicago Bulls are a frustratingly competent 13-16. That is not great, but in a weak Eastern Conference, it's still only enough for ninth place and a slice of the Play-In pie. That is not where the Bulls wanted to be this season after trading Alex Caruso and letting DeMar DeRozan walk.

After years of toiling in mediocrity, Chicago finally seemed to make the move toward a total rebuild. But as luck would have it, the Bulls didn't commit hard enough, leaving them right back where they started — in the middle of the pack, without much of a direction.

You can praise the long-term upside of Matas Buzelis or Coby White, but Chicago doesn't have a ton of proper building blocks for the future. Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine just aren't good enough to lead a winner, despite their best efforts. Billy Donovan has done an excellent job of squeezing some wins out of disparate pieces this season, but the Bulls would prefer to bottom out and focus on the future.

Cooper Flagg is there for the taking if a team successfully tanks (and wins the NBA Draft Lottery). Even if Chicago doesn't land No. 1 overall, there is an abundance of high-level prospects, with Dylan Harper, Kasparas Jakucionis and others putting together remarkable collegiate campaigns.

Here are a few trades Chicago should consider to promote, in the words of Sam Hinkie, "the longest view in the room."

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3. Bulls can dial up Warriors to cash in on Nikola Vucevic

The Golden State Warriors are possibly the most aggressive buyer on the trade market, which dates back to the offseason. After whiffing on big names like Lauri Markkanen and Paul George, Golden State might have to settle for that next tier of potential upgrades. The Dennis Schroder trade should help, but there's room to keep improving.

Nikola Vucevic is putting together a renaissance season for the Bulls, averaging 20.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists on .584/.465/.864 splits. The defensive decline is well-documented at 34 years old, but Vucevic still supplies uncommon offensive skill and versatility at the five spot. He can space the floor, operate as a passing hub around the elbow, or punish mismatches in the post.

Golden State has never really had a center in Vucevic's exact mold. Trayce Jackson-Davis has been a pleasant surprise, but he's just not operating on Vooch's level. Adding another legitimate 20-point scorer next to Steph — not to mention a stretchy, dynamic big who commands a gravitational pull of his own — would profoundly benefit an ailing offense. The two-man actions between Vucevic and Steph might melt brains.

Chicago can take the long view and absorb Andrew Wiggins' bad contract in exchange for a first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft. Vucevic, due $20 million through next season, probably won't recoup much more value than this, but Chicago adds to its barren draft stores and gets worse in the near term, which is a double win.

2. Bulls can sell high on Coby White, send him to Orlando

The Orlando Magic are weathering a storm of unimaginable magnitude after injuries to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner. It has been tough sledding, but this is a resilient team rooted in elite defense and an unselfish approach. What the Magic should do is look for another viable source of shot creation to buoy the offense until their biggest names get back.

Chicago can offer the perfect solution in 24-year-old Coby White, who's coming off a breakout season that saw him finish second in Most Improved Player voting. Some will quibble with Chicago trading arguably its best young player on the precipice of a rebuild, but if the Bulls really commit to this thing, Chicago won't be contending for another few years. White is under contract through 2025-26, so he might not even be around to reap the rewards of drafting the 18-year-old Flagg, for example.

It wouldn't be unreasonable for Chicago to sell high on White and hit the reset button in anticipation of a long rebuild. White's numbers are already on a slight decline compared to last season, although that is easily chalked up to a change in role with LaVine back in the mix. It helps that Chicago, in addition to a first-round pick, also receives a very similar combo guard in Cole Anthony.

He won't provide quite as much playmaking verve or positional flexibility as White, who is three inches taller, but Anthony can give the rebuilding Bulls a new offensive bellwether. It has been a rocky campaign for Anthony, but he has four seasons of double-digit scoring under his belt. He also scored 35 points in a come-from-behind win over Miami on Saturday, a nice reminder of what's possible when the reins are loosened and Anthony is operating with confidence.

1. Bulls can trade Zach LaVine to the desperate Nuggets

Chicago has been trying to trade Zach LaVine since the early summer months, but now it's starting to feel possible. The Denver Nuggets are reportedly interested in the 29-year-old swingman, which ought to be music to Arturas Karnisovas' ears. LaVine has been excellent this season, to the point where just trading him to trade him wouldn't make sense if the Bulls weren't hellbent on tanking.

The Bulls still won't recoup much value given the substantial nature of LaVine's contract, but Denver is desperate for another shot creator to kickstart its offense alongside Nikola Jokic. LaVine is a great fit next to Jokic, and he'd remove some pressure from the wayward Jamal Murray.

In return, Chicago can add Michael Porter Jr., who is three years younger than LaVine and, frankly, not too steep of a downgrade in terms of impact. Porter's reputation has taken a few lumps in recent years, but you just don't find 6-foot-10 shooters of his caliber very often, and Porter has made a concerted effort to diversify his shot profile this season.

He's not a No. 1 option to build around, but Porter is a nice supporting piece to Flagg, Harper or whoever the Bulls draft next summer. Or, he's another trade chip to shop around, as contenders are bound to come knocking before long. Chicago originally balked at the idea of including Zeke Nnaji and his four-year, $32 million contract, per Marc Stein, but beggars can't be choosers. If the Bulls want to get rid of Zach LaVine and take a step back, this trade accomplishes it.