The Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings, both stuck in the NBA’s purgatory as No. 9 seeds with little hope for meaningful progression, were promptly eliminated from play-in contention on Wednesday night.
Neither contest was particularly competitive. Tyler Herro erupted for 38 points to lead the Miami Heat past Chicago in a 19-point blowout. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks — coming off a disastrous press conference — overwhelmed Sacramento 120-106. Anthony Davis turned back the clock with a strong 27-point, 9-rebound outing, and Klay Thompson added 23 points in a vintage performance of his own.
Watching a flawed Mavericks team outplay Sacramento so decisively in a must-win situation was a wake-up call — or at least it should’ve been. However, rather than pause for reflection, the Kings made a swift and telling move. Within minutes of the final buzzer, general manager Monte McNair was reportedly “mutually” let go — a clear indication that his departure had been brewing for some time. Less than 24 hours later, the team hired Scott Perry, a former Knicks GM with a mixed track record, to replace him.
As for the Bulls, the loss highlighted the franchise’s mediocrity in painful fashion. Since trading for Jimmy Butler, Miami has thrived in the playoffs despite regular-season struggles — thanks largely to head coach Erik Spoelstra’s postseason wizardry. Chicago, on the other hand, showed up as a disjointed mix of fading veterans and underdeveloped youth clawing for a shot at postseason irrelevance. It’s exactly what the team’s confusing trade deadline decisions set them up for — a low-ceiling outcome that speaks volumes about their direction under executive Artūras Karnišovas.
Looking ahead, both franchises desperately need an overhaul. But instead of helping each other, any potential trade between them is more likely to accelerate their mutual dysfunction. A hypothetical Bulls-Kings blockbuster wouldn’t push either team forward — it would just keep them running in place.
There has already been speculation about a potential trade involving Zach LaVine and the Kings, with Sacramento reportedly mulling a deal that would’ve brought him in alongside DeMar DeRozan. That would’ve recreated Chicago’s underwhelming backcourt in Northern California. The Bulls, meanwhile, took a step toward a rebuild by offloading LaVine — but then bafflingly kept the rest of their mid-tier roster intact. Ironically, they were awarded their own first-round pick via trade, but only because it was top-10 protected from San Antonio — meaning they could’ve kept the pick without giving anything up had they just committed to a tank.
Both franchises continue to be undermined by flawed leadership. In Sacramento, owner Vivek Ranadivé has a history of micromanagement and questionable decision-making that destabilizes the front office. In Chicago, ownership is often criticized for apathy — a failure to hold anyone accountable for years of mediocrity and wasted potential.
Some have floated a trade idea centered around Domantas Sabonis heading to Chicago in exchange for Nikola Vučević, Patrick Williams, and a 2025 first-round pick. On paper, the deal looks fair. Sabonis is six years younger than Vučević and offers a more dynamic presence on offense, particularly with his passing and interior scoring. He’s known to pad stats in the regular season, though his playoff struggles are a serious concern. Still, for a Bulls team weirdly committed to chasing the No. 8 seed, Sabonis fits the bill.
For the Kings, Vučević would offer a floor-spacing big with rebounding prowess, and Patrick Williams could still blossom in a new system. They’d also bank a first-round pick — not a bad return for a player who might ask out anyway. But recreating the Bulls’ core out West — adding Vučević, Williams, and perhaps even reuniting DeRozan and LaVine — feels more like satire than sound roster-building.
In truth, neither team should entertain this deal. It reeks of desperation and clings to fading names and false hope. But given both teams’ track records, it wouldn’t be shocking if such a move materialized.
One thing is clear: both the Bulls and Kings need to stop rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic and start charting real courses for sustainable success. Whether either front office has the vision — or permission — to do so remains the real question.
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