Bulls trade proposal lands Domantas Sabonis from Kings in Vucevic swap
The Chicago Bulls walked into the season with quiet confidence, a healthy roster, and perhaps the strongest continuity core in the Eastern Conference. At one point, they were 6-1, looking like a team ready to erase years of inconsistency and finally make a legitimate playoff push.
But reality, as it tends to do in the NBA, hit quickly. The Bulls now sit at 9-10, struggling defensively and offensively, and falling back into a familiar limbo: not bad enough to bottom out, yet not good enough to scare the elite.
The situation has reignited internal discussions about roster upgrades, and the loudest rumor now floating across the league is bold, messy, and fascinating: a potential trade targeting Sacramento Kings All-Star Domantas Sabonis
According to reporting from Jake Fischer, multiple executives believe Chicago could explore packaging Nikola Vucevic, whose expiring $21.4 million contract has become a legitimate trade asset, in a deal to land Sabonis.
There’s even a belief that the Bulls could chase another big name in parallel: Anthony Davis, returning to his hometown. However, Sabonis is the most realistic and perhaps the most transformational target.
Why Sabonis fits the Bulls' identity and timeline
Sabonis is only 29, an elite rebounder, playmaker, and interior scorer whose game isn’t dependent on athleticism. That matters, especially for a Bulls team trying to build something sustainable without rushing toward a rebuild.
While Nikola Vucevic has been productive, shooting over 40% from deep for the second straight season and continuing to space the floor, Sabonis offers something Vucevic never fully brought: offensive gravity as a facilitator.
Chicago’s biggest issues this season haven’t been shot creation, shooting talent, or star ability. The problem has been stagnation. When the offense slows, everything becomes isolation-dependent. Josh Giddey can rescue possessions,
Sabonis changes that.
Every team he has played for has improved ball movement the moment he steps onto the floor. He bends defenses as a hub, not merely a scorer. Chicago hasn’t had a big man with that skill set since Joakim Noah, and even then, Sabonis offers far more scoring versatility.
If the Bulls want to build a modern offense, one defined by flow rather than rescue-ball, Sabonis is the kind of player who can reshape a franchise’s identity.
Would the Kings actually trade Sabonis?
That’s the uncomfortable part.
The Kings didn’t acquire Sabonis to flip him; they acquired him to end their historic playoff drought, and he helped do that. Sacramento believed he was their foundational star,
But the timeline has shifted.
The Kings are 5-15 to start the season, spiraling, and now Sabonis is injured. For a small-market franchise, injuries mixed with stagnation can quickly turn into existential urgency.
If Sacramento believes the current roster ceiling has been reached, trading Sabonis while his value remains high could be a painful but logical pivot.
The Bulls offer the kind of package that appeals to teams at a crossroads: expiring contracts, flexibility, and the chance to retool without detonating everything. Vucevic’s deal is clean, tradable, and attractive for salary matching without anchoring the future.
Young pieces or picks could sweeten the offer.
The biggest complication? The emotional weight. Trading Sabonis would signal that Sacramento is abandoning the version of the franchise it has spent three years trying to sell.
Is this the bold move the Bulls finally need?
Chicago has lived in NBA purgatory long enough. They've been too committed to running it back, too patient, too reluctant to accept that core chemistry doesn’t always equal core competitiveness.
The front office’s messaging has emphasized belief, belief in development, belief in stability, and belief in continuity.
But belief has a shelf life, and right now, it’s expiring.
Sabonis isn’t a superstar on the level of Giannis or Jokic, but he’s a franchise pillar, someone who can elevate the players around him. His passing would open up better looks for Giddey, simplify reads for Coby White, and give Chicago’s offense a structure it has been missing for years.
The medical concerns are real; a partially torn meniscus isn’t a light injury, but Chicago is in a position where risk is no longer optional; it’s necessary.
If the Bulls are serious about taking the next step, not just competing but mattering, then making a deal like this isn’t reckless.
It’s overdue. A Sabonis trade would be polarizing, expensive, and uncertain, but it would give Chicago something it hasn’t had in a decade:
A direction. The question now isn’t whether Sabonis is available.
It’s whether the Bulls finally have the conviction to stop waiting and start building.
Sean McVay Reacts to ‘Disappointing Day’ After Rams Loss to Panthers
The Los Angeles Rams entered Sunday’s game against the
It started off well as Matthew Stafford connected with Davante Adams for an early touchdown. That score also put
However, Stafford threw two interceptions after that, both of them in the first quarter, and things began to unravel.
The Rams had a 21-17 lead at halftime, but the Panthers outscored them 14-7 in the second half, and in the end, the Panthers came out on top, 31-28.
Stafford had a pair of interceptions (one being a pick-six) and a fumble, and it was a frustrating loss for Los Angeles.
Sean McVay Reacts to Ugly Loss
After the game, head coach Sean McVay had an honest reaction to the tough loss.
But, instead of sitting back and being upset, the Rams coach is ready to see how this team responds.
“We’re going to stay tighter than we’ve been,” McVay said, via Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire. “This is a disappointing day, but we’re not going to stay in this moment for long. We’ll look at it, we’ll figure out how do we respond? How do we move forward the right way? And that’s exactly what we’re tasked to do, and that’s exactly what we will do.”
McVay expressed disappointment, but he also focused on moving forward and figuring out how to respond.
It marked the first loss for LA since October 2, but the Seattle Seahawks
In turn, the Rams also lost the top seed in the NFC to the 9-3 Chicago Bears
The Rams Coach is ‘Excited’ Despite the Loss
Even though it was a tough loss, McVay admitted he was “excited” to see how his team responds, per DaSilva.
“Love this football team,” he said. “I’m really excited about how we respond. There’s never a good story without a little bit of adversity. We’re all in this together. We’re going to be tighter than we’ve ever been, and it’s going to be a great opportunity for us to be able to respond. That’s what this group has shown they’re capable of.”
The Rams lost in Week 3 and Week 5, but since the loss to the 49ers in October, they had won six in a row before this one against the Panthers.
The three turnovers proved to be a huge difference maker, and it was the first time Stafford had thrown an interception since the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Rams have been a pleasant surprise so far in the 2025 NFL season, and if they continue to win games, they should be a team to watch in the NFC when the postseason comes around.
LA next faces off against the Arizona Cardinals on the road next Sunday before a tough stretch against the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks.
