Writer thinks Chicago Bulls should’ve gone after T.J. Warren

Chicago Bulls team writer Sam Smith thinks the team missed a big opportunity by not getting TJ Warren from the Phoenix Suns last year.

The former NC State Wolfpack product and five-star highly touted recruit T.J. Warren is having his most successful and notable run in the NBA since the beginning of his pro career since the “bubble plan” started late last month. Warren went on an incredible run with the Chicago Bulls Central Division foe Indiana Pacers in three of the last four games since the NBA restart began at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL.

In that span of three games, Warren tallied more than 110 points (including a 53-point outburst in  Pacers 127-121 win over the Philadelphia 76ers) to tie a certain significant franchise record. Warren totaling that triple-digit point outburst over the course of three games tied him for the most in that span in Pacers franchise history with their former star big man Jermaine O’Neal.

However, in tying the relevance of Warren back to the Bulls, team writer (former of the Chicago Tribune) Sam Smith gave his take on what the front office could’ve done to get him last offseason. In his “Ask Sam Mailbag” return on Aug. 7, Smith answered a question on what the Bulls were missing with former players like Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Cameron Payne, along with one they might’ve been able to acquire like Warren last offseason.

Here’s more on what Smith had to say on this matter, particularly pertaining to Warren.

"There goes another potential league MVP the Bulls let go, eh? And though many fans were angry with the team this season and were ready to move on, TLC is another great example of what the Bulls are missing. Cameron Payne is shooting more than 50 percent on threes and averaging about a dozen points in fewer than 20 minutes in four straight Suns wins to start. A year ago you could buy T.J. Warren, which the Pacers did from the Suns for cash and even got some second round picks in return. Now he’s one of the stars of the league as he broke out to start the preliminary bubble/campus/frat house games averaging 40 points in three opening wins and shooting 60 percent on threes until Payne’s Suns shut him down Thursday. The Pacers aren’t winning any titles, but especially with this high scoring/casual defense series of games players have an opportunity to put up amazing numbers."

With that, he mentioned that the Bulls could’ve done a better job scouting out players like Warren, who the Pacers got for just cash and “even received a few second round draft picks” in return. Warren did standout for the Pacers thus far, and is guiding them in the right direction in the Eastern Conference standings since the season’s restart.

Throughout the season as a whole, Warren played in 65 games with the Pacers. He’s averaged 19.6 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks. Warren shot 53.3 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 81.5 percent from the free-throw line. That means that he now has a career-best 1.1 box plus/minus rating and already a career-best more than six total win shares.

Given all of the wing depth issues that the Bulls had in the last couple of years, it makes sense that they could look back on any potential miss in a Warren deal with the Phoenix Suns with regret. But that’s always something that a former Bulls front office regime could do. It shold be more of a learning point for the new Bulls front office regime.