The Chicago Bulls should try to get more assets
This season has been a letdown for Chicago Bulls fans. Between injuries, and drama amongst the players and coaches, it means another year in the lottery.
For the Chicago Bulls, this season’s shortcomings may not be the worst thing in the world. This 2019 Draft Class is very top heavy, with prospects such as Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and more. The Jabari Parker trial is not nearly as bad as advertised. Sure, a lot of cash was unloaded on him, but worst-case scenario, the team can’t find a trade partner for him and they don’t exercise his team option for 2019-2020. And although the team has been pretty banged up, the Bulls have gotten some reassurance that Zach LaVine was worth $78 million and seen the other young guys take some strides.
With the Bulls likely to land one of the top three picks in the 2019 Draft, they will clearly be sellers as the February 7th trade deadline approaches. The team will be looking to add draft picks and young players in exchange for sending expiring contracts and veteran help to contenders. Between the drama that has occurred in Chicago, the reoccurring front office issues, and lack of recent success, it is unlikely to me that GarPax is able to make a splash this summer. Sure, the talent in Chicago may be enticing to marquee free-agents, but the cons here seem to well outweigh the pros.
The Bulls have a sizable amount of cap space for the 2019-2020 season, and without major free-agent moves, they certainly should look into taking on salary in exchange for assets. Right now, their primary target should be stockpiling picks and young players, and this is probably the best way the Bulls can.
Possible Trade Scenarios
Tyler Johnson Heads North
Tyler Johnson of the Miami Heat is owed just over $19 million for the next two seasons in Miami, which is not nearly worth it considering his mere 11 points per contest on subpar shooting. The Heat, who are right in the mix for a playoff spot, can both boost their roster for a playoff run and clear up a sizable amount of cap space for spending this summer. This is where the Bulls come in. I the Heat were willing to throw in their 2019 First Round Pick with a Top-10 Protection on it, the Bulls would likely be willing to swap Parker for Johnson. With this, the Bulls get an asset for the future, while the Heat no longer have to pay Johnson next season and get a good scoring win in Parker for their playoff hopes.
Wizards Unload Mahinmi
Washington has probably seen more problems this year than any other team in the league. Missing John Wall and Dwight Howard does not help the Wizard’s situation, yet they sit just on the edge of the playoffs. The Bulls could send Robin Lopez to the Wizards to fill the gap at center for a playoff push.In exchange, the Bulls absorb Ian Mahinmi’s $30 million plus contract for the next two years, while also receiving a 2019 1st Round Lottery-Protected Pick.
Bismack to the Bulls
The Hornets have managed to stay in the playoff hunt, but have multiple atrocious contracts on the books. One of these contracts is Bismack Biyombo, who is on a terrible deal that pays him $17 million this season and gives him a player option worth $17 million for 2019-2020. With Kemba Walker surely to demand a raise this summer, Michael Jordan would love to get Biyombo off of the books. Chicago could send Parker to Charlotte to give the Hornets a scoring boost for a playoff push, while the Hornets could shed a massive amount of salary by sending back to Chicago Biyombo and throwing in a 2019 Lottery-Protected 1st Round Pick.
dark. Next. 5 draft prospects the Bulls should look at
Looking (Further) Ahead
The Bulls rebuild, although it always doesn’t seem to be, seems to be on the right track. And, yes, I do believe the Bulls can be a playoff contender in the 2021-2022 season, but the summer of 2019 is unlikely to be the year for the Bulls to break out their checkbook. Therefore, John Paxson and Gar Forman would be wise to use their cap space this offseason as an investment for the future. Be patient, Bulls fans. The future is bright for this team, but the time to be aggressive is not this summer.