Chicago Bulls: Trade proposals with the Southeast Division

The Atlanta Hawks have an incredible young core to work with, but adding some depth at shooting guard could be a wise move.

This season is a lost cause for the Atlanta Hawks, who will add yet another impressive young player to their arsenal in this year’s draft. The Hawks will be looking for depth and star power from here on out, as their starting lineup long-term will probably be rounded out after the draft and free agency. With this being said, Denzel Valentine is a great place to start looking for depth.

Valentine’s offensive skills as both a passer and scorer are certainly there, as he has proven that he can get buckets off of the bench when called on. Behind Kevin Huerter, Atlanta has nearly no depth at the two spot, and Valentine is an ideal candidate off of the bench. With only one year left on his rookie deal, the Hawks can see how Denzel fits and could offer him a “prove-it” type deal in the offseason. If not, Atlanta will not suffer major consequences, as the return that Chicago would receive is quite minimal.

DeAndre’ Bembry is only here to make the salaries and roster numbers fit, as he would be unlikely to remain a Bull after his contract expires this offseason. Here, rather, Chicago is interested in acquiring Atlanta’s 2021 second rounder along with the rights to swap second-round selections in 2024. If Atlanta remains at the bottom of the league come next year (which is unlikely), the Bulls could be acquiring a very solid second-round selection.

Regardless of how those picks pan out, getting Valentine out of Chicago for some return is vital. His role in Chicago now and in the future should be much bigger than they are now, but Jim Boylen and company do not seem to agree. Thus, letting him go for a discount is still better than letting a former lottery pick walk after his rookie deal expires.