Chicago Bulls Trade Rumors: Time to Make Another Trade?
Chicago Bulls Trade Rumors: Time to Make Another Trade?
The Bulls have already made one trade of late, having just moved Mirotic, but are they going to make any other moves before the deadline?
The Bulls have already made one trade of late, having just moved Mirotic, but are they going to make any other moves before the deadline?
Despite having just made a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans to move Nikola Mirotic, the Chicago Bulls are apparently still looking to make another trade before the deadline on February 8.
The guys with the highest chances of getting moved before the deadline are Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant, or Justin Holiday.
Lopez is pretty underrated around the rest of the league at this point. If a team is in need of a reliable big man and is on the edge of the playoff hunt, Lopez should be a top target.
Grant probably isn't a trade target for any team, but he is still on his rookie contract, making him a reasonable additional trade piece if the team were to find a team interested in a deal for Lopez, just as he was when Grant and Lopez were originally traded to the Bulls from the Knicks in the Derrick Rose deal.
Holiday is another interesting possible trade candidate. He is only making $4.6 million this season and $4.3 million the next. Despite his poor field goal percentage (37%), his three-point shooting is also at 37% and he is averaging 13.2 points per game, making him a possible trade target for a team looking for off the bench scoring and shooting. Holiday would likely only get moved in a Lopez-centered deal as well.
The Bulls are likely looking to acquire more draft picks in return for any other trades that materialize this season. With Dunn, LaVine, and Markkanen as the centerpieces of the Bulls' future, the team should, and seemingly is, attempting to stockpile picks going into this draft.
Reasonable Trade Scenarios
Orlando Magic
Magic receive: Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant
Bulls receive: Bismack Biyombo and a first round pick
The Magic have the terrible Biyombo contract on their books and no cap space, despite being a bottom of the standings team. If the Magic want to have any cap space going into this summer, they should be looking to find takers for the Biyombo contract. The Bulls have the cap space to take on the contract and could send the Magic Lopez and Grant in return. The Magic would also have to send the Bulls a pick, hopefully, a first rounder, although the pick would likely come with protections.
New York Knicks
Knicks receive: Robin Lopez and Cristiano Felicio
Bulls receive: Joakim Noah, Willy Hernangomez, and a pick or picks
In this scenario, the Bulls would take on the contract of former fan favorite Joakim Noah and would also receive Willy Hernangomez, who recently requested a trade, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports. The Knicks would again receive Lopez and in return take on the Felicio contract (also bad, but far less egregious than the Noah contract). I would like to think that the Bulls would also receive a first-round pick in this scenario because of how bad the Noah contract is but I have a feeling the Bulls are more likely to receive a couple 2nd rounders.
Milwaukee Bucks
Bucks receive: Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant
Bulls receive: John Henson, DJ Wilson, future protected first
The Bucks are still in search of a big man to help bolster their chances of making a playoff run this season and could also use another backup point guard. Henson has not been terrible for the Bucks but a team with playoff aspirations would be better suited with a player like Lopez at the center position. The Bulls would then take on Henson and rookie DJ Wilson, as well as a future, protected first-round pick. This should be a pretty appealing option for the Bucks given their need to upgrade at center. A trade for DeAndre Jordan would cost the Bucks one of their current core players and a lot of cap space, while a trade for Lopez would require a first-round pick as the most valuable asset in return.
Despite having just made a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans to move Nikola Mirotic, the Chicago Bulls are apparently still looking to make another trade before the deadline on February 8.
The guys with the highest chances of getting moved before the deadline are Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant, or Justin Holiday.
Lopez is pretty underrated around the rest of the league at this point. If a team is in need of a reliable big man and is on the edge of the playoff hunt, Lopez should be a top target.
Grant probably isn't a trade target for any team, but he is still on his rookie contract, making him a reasonable additional trade piece if the team were to find a team interested in a deal for Lopez, just as he was when Grant and Lopez were originally traded to the Bulls from the Knicks in the Derrick Rose deal.
Holiday is another interesting possible trade candidate. He is only making $4.6 million this season and $4.3 million the next. Despite his poor field goal percentage (37%), his three-point shooting is also at 37% and he is averaging 13.2 points per game, making him a possible trade target for a team looking for off the bench scoring and shooting. Holiday would likely only get moved in a Lopez-centered deal as well.
The Bulls are likely looking to acquire more draft picks in return for any other trades that materialize this season. With Dunn, LaVine, and Markkanen as the centerpieces of the Bulls' future, the team should, and seemingly is, attempting to stockpile picks going into this draft.
Reasonable Trade Scenarios
Orlando Magic
Magic receive: Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant
Bulls receive: Bismack Biyombo and a first round pick
The Magic have the terrible Biyombo contract on their books and no cap space, despite being a bottom of the standings team. If the Magic want to have any cap space going into this summer, they should be looking to find takers for the Biyombo contract. The Bulls have the cap space to take on the contract and could send the Magic Lopez and Grant in return. The Magic would also have to send the Bulls a pick, hopefully, a first rounder, although the pick would likely come with protections.
New York Knicks
Knicks receive: Robin Lopez and Cristiano Felicio
Bulls receive: Joakim Noah, Willy Hernangomez, and a pick or picks
In this scenario, the Bulls would take on the contract of former fan favorite Joakim Noah and would also receive Willy Hernangomez, who recently requested a trade, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports. The Knicks would again receive Lopez and in return take on the Felicio contract (also bad, but far less egregious than the Noah contract). I would like to think that the Bulls would also receive a first-round pick in this scenario because of how bad the Noah contract is but I have a feeling the Bulls are more likely to receive a couple 2nd rounders.
Milwaukee Bucks
Bucks receive: Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant
Bulls receive: John Henson, DJ Wilson, future protected first
The Bucks are still in search of a big man to help bolster their chances of making a playoff run this season and could also use another backup point guard. Henson has not been terrible for the Bucks but a team with playoff aspirations would be better suited with a player like Lopez at the center position. The Bulls would then take on Henson and rookie DJ Wilson, as well as a future, protected first-round pick. This should be a pretty appealing option for the Bucks given their need to upgrade at center. A trade for DeAndre Jordan would cost the Bucks one of their current core players and a lot of cap space, while a trade for Lopez would require a first-round pick as the most valuable asset in return.