Bulls Rumors: Hottest Trade Reports Surrounding Chicago
When guards Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo joined the Chicago Bulls to combine forces with swingman Jimmy Butler, many wondered how their play styles and personalities would mesh under head coach Fred Hoiberg. After the social media tiffs, multiple benchings among the trio and now a 28-29 record, all isn’t well in Chicago. Nonetheless, a transaction or two could right the ship.
Will the Bulls trade Butler to signal a complete rebuild? The team’s veteran nucleus could also mend fences among themselves for one strong push to contend in the postseason. Keep in mind the Bulls have already beaten the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers twice this season.
The front office could acquire another asset and potentially set the team up for a deep postseason run. Above all else, the team’s prominent trio must lead the way with leadership and selfless play.
What’s the latest on Butler’s status? Which team has been in constant talks with the front office over the past few days?
Bulls Not Budging on Butler
After all the noise and chatter surrounding Butler’s future, the team doesn’t seem willing to deal its centerpiece, per Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson:
As Johnson stated in his tweet, a blockbuster deal—one the Bulls can’t refuse—could change the front office’s tune. As of today, the Boston Celtics have the draft picks and role players to pry Butler away. Of course, the reports will emerge about executives stonewalling offers in the coming days, but the ears fielding those inquiries will listen at the very least.
Then again, why would the Bulls want to deal their best player and start from scratch? He could stay for the roster breakdown and redesign as the draw for other free agents in the near future.
In 2017, Rondo has only logged 25 minutes in a game once, which illustrates his diminished role over the past two months. The 31-year-old point guard wore out his welcome on multiple teams before arriving in Chicago. Don’t be surprised to see him on the move again.
Fellow point guards Michael Carter-Williams, Jerian Grant and Isaiah Canaan all average 16-22 minutes per game. The Bulls can afford to trade a veteran player for a future draft pick or another frontcourt asset.
Trade with Sixers Brewing?
According to Jon Johnson of CBS Philly, the Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers have been in contact over the past few days:
Johnson didn’t speculate on names, but Hoops Hype writer Alex Kennedy linked Sixers center Jahlil Okafor to the Bulls among other teams in a recent tweet:
Based on the process of elimination from Kennedy’s tweet, the Bulls remain a viable candidate to land Okafor. The other three teams mentioned above have already acquired big men via trades. The New Orleans Pelicans pulled off a blockbuster deal for DeMarcus Cousins. The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers swapped centers in their trade, which sent Jusuf Nurkic to the Blazers and Mason Plumlee to the Nuggets.
The Sixers still have a logjam in the frontcourt with Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Okafor and 6’10” rookie Ben Simmons on the mend. The Bulls don’t have enough mass near the hoop, which makes a potential exchange between the two clubs a realistic outcome by Thursday's deadline.
In his second year, Okafor has underwhelmed. He’s averaging 11.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. With a slight boost in playing time, the Bulls could potentially pull more production from the No. 3 pick of the 2015 draft. Chicago ranks No. 23 in scoring at 102.1 per contest. Okafor’s versatile offensive capabilities would help the team through scoring droughts.
Stats provided by NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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