Bulls Rumors: Latest on Danilo Gallinari, Andre Drummond and Coby White Trade Talks
June 30, 2022
The Chicago Bulls reportedly have interest in a pair of veteran additions this offseason and are likely to keep one of their talented young players.
According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the Bulls are expected to have interest in center Andre Drummond in free agency, as well as forward Danilo Gallinari if the San Antonio Spurs waive him. San Antonio acquired Gallinari from the Atlanta Hawks yesterday in the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to Atlanta.
Meanwhile, guard Coby White is reportedly "more likely to return than not" after the Bulls fielded trade calls leading up to the 2022 NBA draft but nothing materialized.
Chicago is coming off an up-and-down season that saw it spend time at the top of the Eastern Conference before dropping down to the No. 6 seed with a 46-36 record.
The Milwaukee Bucks eliminated the Bulls in the first round of the postseason, but it was a successful campaign as they ended a four-season playoff drought.
Chicago enters the offseason with question marks, though, most notably whether All-Star guard Zach LaVine will return in free agency.
Regardless of LaVine's status, Gallinari and Drummond are depth pieces that could play sizable roles in the Windy City.
Johnson noted the Spurs are expected to waive Gallinari. While he'll likely find a robust market for his services in free agency, the Bulls can offer him the opportunity to play under head coach Billy Donovan, who coached him on the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019-20.
Johnson reported it would likely take a two-year deal worth $7 million or $8 million per season to land Gallinari.
The 33-year-old native of Italy is set to enter his 15th NBA season after stints with the New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Thunder and Hawks.
In 728 career games, he boasts averages of 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.0 three-pointers made while shooting 38.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Gallinari shot better than 40 percent from long range in three consecutive seasons before dropping in line with his career average last year at 38.1 percent. He averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.7 trifectas in 66 games for the Hawks last season.
Drummond, 28, was a two-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion in seven-and-a-half seasons with the Detroit Pistons, but he has taken on more of a reserve role in recent years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.
After averaging better than 13 points and 12 rebounds per game in eight straight seasons, the 6'10" big man put up 7.9 points and 9.3 boards per contest last season in 73 games split between the Sixers and Nets.
Drummond would provide quality minutes behind starting center Nikola Vucevic, and Johnson noted he could sign for the veteran minimum.
Chicago selected White with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. While he hasn't established himself as a regular starter, he has been a valuable offensive contributor.
White started only 17 of the 61 games he appeared in last season and averaged a career-low 12.7 points and 3.0 rebounds, but he pitched in 2.9 assists and 2.2 three-pointers while shooting a career-best 43.3 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range.
Since LaVine and DeMar DeRozan took precedence as scorers, White was often forgotten, but he played a significant role, especially after Lonzo Ball underwent knee surgery in January and sat out the rest of the season.
Johnson noted that while the Bulls aren't closed off to the idea of trading the 22-year-old guard, they are happy to keep him, especially as insurance for Ball if he is unable to stay healthy.