After the Chicago Bulls completed their controversial Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey swap, several more trades have popped up across the league. The biggest of those deals saw Mikal Bridges moving a town over, as the Knicks traded a HAUL of draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets.
The second-biggest deal thus far came last night. The Atlanta Hawks finally split up their backcourt duo and sent Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans. And we have reason to believe they’re not done yet!
For some thoughts on smaller trades and everything in between, make sure to check out Matt’s NBA Notes from Friday.
I know this might be reaching a bit, but I really do believe that both the Bridges and Murray trade could be good for the Bulls. Both were two of the top trade targets available, and they’re both … well … no longer available. In theory, this could make guys like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan look a lot more attractive to contending teams. I’m not trying to say the Bulls are about to suddenly get a package for either (DeRozan would have to be via sign-and-trade), but I do think it can help the Bulls slightly in the leverage department.
We can say the same about some of the most prominent free agents. Klay Thompson’s future remains a massive question mark, as does the availability of Paul George. If those two find news home on Sunday night or Monday morning, the scoring prowess of LaVine and DeRozan may look that much more appetizing to desperate organizations.
The latest Klay Thompson update via @wojespn indicates he’s likely to leave the Warriors:
– There’s been little communication between Golden State and Thompson throughout this process, which includes no actual offer to him.
Bleacher Report released their list of the best non-max-free agent signings in the last five years. And you’ll never guess who made the cut! After being the first to call the Bulls out for signing DeRozan back in 2021, they’ve changed their tune. DeRozan’s three-year, $81.9 million contract was one of seven contracts included. Alex Caruso’s original four-year, $37.0 million deal also made the cut. Read the full list here.
Look, I don’t want the Bulls to pay DeMar DeRozan. They are just two ships sailing in a different direction. However, I do think whichever team does pay him will not regret it. He’s shown over the last three years that he has A LOT of good basketball left in the tank. Few veterans have been more dependable on a night-to-night basis than the six-time All-Star. Not to mention, his clutch and methodical mid-range game can become a real asset coming playoff time for winning teams. I know the style of play will always rub some the wrong way, but you can’t knock results. Also, if you put him next to a true superstar, I highly doubt he faces some of the same issues we’ve seen arise in prior postseasons. When the Bulls faced the Bucks in 2021-22, DeRozan was their primary scoring option and Milwaukee knew it. Heck, he still even managed a 41-point game in that series!
Whether the Bulls are able to move Nikola Vucevic this summer (which they’re reportedly trying to do) or not, they will likely need a backup big man with Andre Drummond hitting unrestricted free agency. Considering the youth movement that has already started, I’d like to see them target one of the under-25 centers on the board. Three names to possibly keep an eye on are Jalen Smith, Precious Achiuwa, and Goga Bitadze. Rim protection is probably the thing to prioritize, which would undoubtedly be Bitadze’s strong suit. But Achiuwa offers some interesting switchability and Smith is one of the higher-upside sharpshooting bigs in the league. If the rebuild has truly begun, I’d be fine with any of those names.
Jalen Smith, Precious Achiuwa, and Goga Bitadze are some under-25 centers on the market this year.
Bulls might as well take a flyer on one of them. Bitadze best rim protector of those three. Precious more switchable. Jalen can stretch the floor. https://t.co/NS1CzMiVwk— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) June 28, 2024
If Javonte Green doesn’t quickly find a new home, I hope the Bulls bring him back. Not only do I think his off-ball cutting and transition talent would fit in with Josh Giddey, but there is a small world where the Bulls could turn him into a trade asset of sorts by the deadline.
The former @gleaguewarriors swingman averaged 12.2 PPG and 7.4 RPG on 60% FG in nine NBA games this year. He dropped a career-high 25 PTS on the Knicks followed by 24 PTS vs. the Wizards a week later. pic.twitter.com/yeDPOtM6nl— NBA G League (@nbagleague) June 28, 2024
This is pretty hilarious …
JALEN BRUNSON BROUGHT OUT THE STEEL CHAIR FOR HALIBURTON AT MSG 😭
Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.
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