Full press conference: Chicago Bulls GM Marc Eversley speaks on selecting Noa Essengue
And then, there was Vooch.
The Chicago Bulls have almost broken up the core of players that made their last playoff appearance in 2021, which consisted of Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and DeMar DeRozan.
The Bulls reportedly traded Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday morning, getting forward Isaac Okoro in return. Only Vucevic remains from that core, and he might be on the move in the future, too.
Here's how we grade the Bulls' Saturday swap with the Cavs.
Grading the Bulls:
The Bulls desperately needed defense. They got it here.
Their perimeter defense was, for lack of a better word, bad. They struggled to defend drives and allowed teams to feast on them in the paint. This is a move in response to that. If Okoro comes off the bench, it would bring a high-level defensive presence off the bench for the Bulls in key situations. If he starts, it would bring that defense for the Bulls right away.
Okoro is a physical defender whose best traits as a player come on the defensive side of the ball. He's a low-volume 3-point shooter who has improved his shooting every season since entering the league as the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He shot 37 percent last year, 39 percent the year before that and 35 percent across his entire career.
Okoro was exposed in the playoffs, specifically when the Cavaliers were upset by the Indiana Pacers. However, playoff performances shouldn't be any concern for a Bulls team that hasn't seen the postseason since the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
Okoro is just 24, meaning a chance of scenery and a new system could help him find a permanent home in Chicago. With his contract expiring after the 2025-2026 season, it's a low-risk, high-reward gamble for the Bulls who get a player that could still enter his prime.
It's not as bad of a trade as some might say.
Grade: B
Grading the Cavs:
The Cavaliers shed Okoro's contract, and added a 3-and-D guard that could replace Ty Jerome if Jerome gets a payday somewhere else in the NBA after he had a breakout year in Cleveland.
Ball's 3-point shot wasn't incredible by any means last year in Chicago. But, it was hard to truly expect anything from Ball who came back to the court after a meniscus replacement, which was a procedure that no player has comeback from. Ball played in just 35 games last season, but that was due to wrist injuries.
Still, Ball played well when he was on the court and the knee didn't have any serious limitations if you watched him play on it.
By bringing in Ball, the Cavs add a veteran guard who can hit open threes and fits into a complete roster ready to compete now. Ball is a high-IQ defender and a high-level passer who only lifts the playmaking ability for Donovan Mitchell
Cleveland was the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last year, and is now deepening their guard rotation in case they want to give Darius Garland as much time to recover as possible from his toe injury.
We give Cleveland a B- because there is some risk if Ball can't stay healthy. But he's a natural fit in Cleveland.
Grade: B-
Grading the front office:
The Bulls' front office is playing the long game. That's been established and now, they've been given security to match that trust in contract extensions.
Saturday's trade wasn't bad by any means. It gives the Bulls a defensive-minded player who can help guard the perimeter and is a solid rotational player with the Bulls' wing rotation that includes Matas Buzelis, Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips and rookie Noa Essengue.
The harsh reality is the Bulls have now traded Ball, LaVine, DeRozan and Alex Caruso and have only received one draft pick in those trades, which was a second-round selection. The only first-round pick the Bulls got back in trading LaVine to Sacramento was from San Antonio was their own, as the Bulls regained control of their first-round pick that would have gone to the Spurs if it landed outside the top 10 in the draft lottery.
There were reports the Bulls could have traded Ball to the Grizzlies for former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and a first-round pick that was the No. 18 overall pick. Smart's contract would have been more to take on financially, but the Bulls would have had two swings in the first round.
Thinking about what the Bulls could have had instead makes Saturday's move deflating. It's just another move which the Bulls hope validates itself over time.
Grade: C
BullsSports