The arrival of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline has hastened in recent days, and it's time to lock eyes on a franchise that has far more working for itself than anyone seems to notice — potentially itself included. 

Despite the well-earned reputation as one of the most incompetent, and perhaps disinterested, franchises in the association, the Chicago Bulls enter the deadline with an enormous amount of assets that would make any front office with just a slight inclination of creativity drool. 

Unfortunately, the front office — and ownership group — of the Bulls has shown the collective imagination of a dead rodent. As such, if the Bulls won't come to the carriage of trades, the carriage of trades must come to them. 

Expiring contracts, draft picks and intriguing prospects 

While the Bulls are rarely involved in major dealings, or even rumored to be — making the following highly unlikely to ever materialize — they have advantages in the form of their asset trove.

If the Bulls were to let every single one of their expiring contracts do just that, while letting fourth-year forward Dalen Terry walk, they would have upwards of $90.1 million in expiring money that could come off the books this very summer. 

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Surprisingly, for a team that rarely values draft equity, the Bulls are also in full control of their own future in that department. They have no outgoing first-round pick, and are even owed a pick from the Trail Blazers, which is lottery protected through 2028 but has increasing odds of conveying as the Blazers strengthen their roster. 

Finally, the organization sports second-year forward Matas Buzelis (14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks), all-around playmaker Josh Giddey (18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.8 assists), and the unknown quality of Noa Essengue, who is just 43 days removed from his 19th birthday. 

That is considerable wealth for a franchise that has grown enormously stagnant and irrelevant over the years. 

As such, this writer and you, dear readers, shall assume the role of lead executives, and do what the organization lacks the gall to: Roll the dice on an upside play so ridiculously lofty it will leave the fan base in a state of utter confusion. 

The Bulls must enter the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes 

As is custom with these Bulls, they are rarely mentioned as potential suitors for the league's truest of elites, of which Antetokounmpo qualifies. (Executing some panic trade for Domantas Sabonis will do absolutely nothing for them, which means that's surely what they will do.) 

But remember that the current administration is no longer in charge. We are. 

And as our first order of business, we place a call to the Bucks and offer the farm for the Greek superstar. Buzelis, Giddey, Kevin Huerter, and Chicago's unprotected first-rounders in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032 represent more than an adequate bid for Antetokounmpo. Should the Bucks require additional pick swaps, or want the deal to include Essengue, that too should be fine. 

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The Bucks would acquire four unprotected first-round selections, a tremendous sophomore forward with All-Star level potential, and a 6-foot-8 playmaker who is on a reasonable $25 million-per-year contract, and would even shave off an immediate $8 million. (In order to keep track of the books, assume Essengue stays in Chicago for now.) 

However one wishes to slice it, that is not a poor offering, and Chicago should thus be able to compete with multiple other suitors. 

This is where you might wonder what the point is of sending Antetokounmpo to a situation in which he'll be left with few weapons around him to succeed. 

Well, this is the part where the true gamble slumbers in its might. 

Antetokounmpo's presence should lure Austin Reaves in free agency 

The aforementioned expiring contracts in Chicago are plentiful, and given that the Bucks accept Giddey in the proposed trade, this removes $25 million from the Bulls' books next season, meaning Antetokounmpo's 2026-27 salary of $58.4 million won't be as aggressive a hit as one might think. 

The Bulls should then relinquish any rights to Amir Coffey, Nikola Vučević, Zach Collins and Jevon Carter, removing $72.5 million in cap holds. This brings Chicago’s actual salary commitment, which includes cap holds, but not roster charges, to $150.2 million, with the 2026 salary cap estimated to come in at $166 million. 

That is, obviously, not even remotely enough to make a real play for Reaves, meaning the Bulls could work this from several angles.

One, they could discuss a framework in which they conduct a double sign-and-trade deal, consisting of Reaves and Coby White, assuming of course Reaves is interested in leaving Los Angeles to play with Antetokounmpo. (The Bulls could even sweeten the pot in offering the Lakers Essengue, should the organization initially be disinterested in conducting a sign-and-trade.) 

Or, the Bulls could simply relinquish their rights to White and immediately open up $24.5 million, as that is the cap hold he carries. 

That brings Chicago close to the 25% max ($41.5 million) that Reaves could earn as a starting salary. By potentially trading off Isaac Okoro ($11.8 million) through breaking his contract into smaller pieces and taking back less money, the Bulls could secure even more funds, fully avoiding a situation in which they can't offer Reaves his max. 

Now, why all these cap gymnastics? 

It's simple. The Bulls wish to hang on to Ayo Dosunmu, who has a cap hold of $14.3 million. After Reaves has been signed, the Bulls can go over the cap to re-sign Dosunmu, setting their backcourt. 

The risk is enormous 

There's no question the above includes immense risk, but that is part of life in the NBA. Playing it safe and hoping to magically get out of the play-in tournament every year is not a plan. It is nothing short of mental defeat. And this endeavor, however risky it is, at the very least turns over a leaf for an organization that has lost interest from the basketball world. What used to be a brand of excellence has become a forgotten symbol of the past.

A core of Antetokounmpo, Reaves, Dosunmu, Jalen Smith, Patrick Williams, Tre Jones and what will likely be a plethora of minimum signings and ring chasers isn't going to shatter the NBA at large, but it could be just enough in the Eastern Conference to make a deep playoff push. 

The Bulls will have to nail those minimum deals, and should they be able to convince Vučević or Collins to return for the minimum — which, given the market for centers these days, might not be out of the realm of possibility — all the better. 

But it all starts with the trade deadline and the decision to do something utterly bold, as to break the shackles of mediocrity which has haunted the Bulls for years. 

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