Following the 2024 offseason trades of Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan, the Chicago Bulls were left with two veteran starters: Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine. But their fate seemed clear. With the team struggling, the signs of a looming rebuild echoed throughout the organization.
Chicago’s veteran duo was openly on the trade block as the 2024-25 season began. Yet, little progress was made as the calendar turned. Both players reportedly had suitors—LaVine with the Nuggets, Vucevic with the Warriors—but neither trade materialized.
That is, until a surprise trade request came from Sacramento. Amid a tumultuous campaign that saw Head Coach Mike Brown fired midseason, Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox requested a trade, with the intention of landing in San Antonio.