After a red-hot start to the year, the last month has made it quite clear that the Chicago Bulls have a long way to go before they’re back in the mix in the Eastern Conference.
Chicago’s three-point shooting has been in the gutter as of late, the defense as a whole has been disastrous, and the interior defense has been nothing short of a sieve.
In terms of personnel, there are some bright spots. Josh Giddey is coming into his own as a scorer and playmaker, while Matas Buzelis has shown enough to believe he could become a real difference-maker for this team.
Couple a few young talents with plenty of cap space next summer, and fans in Chicago can have some level of optimism about the future.
But as it stands, one glaring hole on the roster comes at center. Nikola Vucevic has his strengths on the offensive end, but his inability to defend has been problematic for years now.
It’s fair to believe that the Bulls won’t be going anywhere until they get their frontcourt straightened out.
Let’s look at a trade idea that has them doing just that.
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Jarrett Allen Sent to Chicago Bulls: NBA Trade Proposal
After the Cleveland Cavaliers were bounced in the early stages of the NBA Playoffs once again last season, there was plenty of discussion about whether the double-big lineups, featuring Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, were optimal.
As a result, Allen was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, but ultimately stayed put.
However, with the trade deadline approaching, TWSN’s Matt Levine has pitched a trade that would send Allen to Chicago.
“The two sides could look to make a swap, with Chicago landing Allen, and the Cavaliers getting Vucevic and more. Cleveland would keep its size, while also getting some much-needed cap flexibility since Vucevic is an expiring deal. But the Bulls would get a franchise center in Allen, and he could look to grow with the others on the roster. Putting him next to Josh Giddey could give the Bulls some direction for the future, and they could look to contend down the line,” wrote Levine.
Should The Bulls Make This Trade?
There are a number of reasons why the Bulls could be hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal that brings Allen to Chicago.
Is it worth it to pay $30 million per year for a player who isn’t much of a factor on the offensive end? Can you even win a championship with a center who doesn’t really mesh with the free-flowing, spacing-driven era of the NBA?
These are questions that the Bulls’ front office would certainly consider if this trade were ever proposed, but still, I’d be pulling the trigger on this deal.
Chicago’s inability to protect the rim has reached its boiling point. Bringing in someone who can effectively play that role is an absolute must.
Allen is far from the best in the league in that area, but it’s undoubtedly one of his strong suits, and his arrival would solve a massive issue for this current Bulls team.
Perhaps the higher-ups in Chicago have bigger plans to fix this problem in the offseason, when Vucevic’s contract expires, but in my eyes, this is an effective way to go about it.
Jarrett Allen Stats
Allen isn’t having his most efficient year, but with just 16 games under his belt, there’s still plenty of time to find his groove.
2025-26 Stats:
- 16 GP
- 25.9 MPG
- 14.0 PPG
- 7.3 RPG
- 1.8 APG
- 56.3 FG%
