The Bulls may never have Victor Wembanyama on their roster -- but his giant presence could help Chicago acquire Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan in a subtle trade that could transform its defense.
Before Wembanyama, it was Sochan who was San Antonio's prized lottery selection. But fast forward a few years, and he's fallen out of the rotation almost entirely, buried on the depth chart beneath Harrison Barnes, Julian Champagnie and Luke Kornet.
The former Baylor Bears standout is only 22 years old, however, and is set to be a restricted free agent this summer. That makes now the perfect time for Chicago to strike and land a player who could have an impact in the Windy City.
Bulls steal a potentially elite defender from San Antonio in mock trade
The trade in its entirety would look something like this:
Why the Spurs make this trade
San Antonio has no long-term plans for either Olynyk or Sochan, who was the ninth overall pick in 2022. He averaged 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 53 starts as a 19-year-old rookie and upped those numbers to 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 73 starts in his second year.
His role is all but gone now as the Polish forward is playing only 13.1 minutes per game with averages of 4.2 points and 2.7 rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Spurs are owners of the third-best record in the NBA, but if they have a significant weak spot, it's perimeter scoring. San Antonio is shooting 35.0 percent from three this season, which ranks 21st in the league. It's also 17th in total 3-pointers made. Keldon Johnson is the only Spur shooting better than 40 percent from deep.
Huerter isn't the 3-point marksman his reputation would suggest, but he is scoring 11.3 points per game as a key part of the Bulls' bench mob and has proven to be an overlooked ball mover and playmaker. He would be a nice asset in a similar role for the Spurs.
In this hypothetical deal, San Antonio is essentially trading a first-round pick five years in the future for someone who could help them make a title push this season. If it doesn't work, they have two second-round picks to fall back on.
Grading the trade for the Bulls
It's no secret that Chicago is a poor defensive team. The only real point-of-attack defender in the Windy City is Isaac Okoro; after that, the Bulls are counting on a slim, inexperienced 21-year-old Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams.
Sochan would immediately become one of the team's top players on that end of the floor.
At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, Sochan is a high-energy, versatile defender willing to do the dirty work. He's flashed some point-forward skills as an unselfish passer with good vision, but he's still fairly raw on the offensive end.
The fourth-year pro has the potential to be an elite defender and role player -- something the Bulls sorely need.
The first-round pick Chicago lands in this deal won't convey until this front office is (fingers crossed) long gone, but any first-rounder that comes out of Sacramento will always have value.
There's no risk in this trade from the Bulls' perspective, but if Sochan becomes a contributor and that first-round pick turns into a legitimate asset in five years, it could be a brilliant move.
Bulls trade grade: A