Chicago Bulls: 3 unsuspecting players who could be dealt at deadline

3) Unsuspecting Chicago Bulls who could be traded

Luke Kornet, Center

Although it wouldn’t surprise many Bulls fans that the new front office regime of first-year executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley could part ways with the first name on this list, he’s not a name sitting amid trade rumors at the moment. Given that, the former Vanderbilt Commodores 7-foot-2 and 240 pound big man Luke Kornet could really use a change of scenery.

Kornet actually seemed like a better fit under former Bulls head coach Jim Boylen than he does in the frontcourt rotation commanded by Donovan this season. The Bulls former front office regime of John Paxson and Gar Forman were actually the ones that signed Kornet to what looked like a value contract at the time, during the 2019 offseason.

Since he has one year left on his current contract, at a salary of a veteran’s minimum, Kornet could be an easy addition to a playoff contender that needs to boost the depth in their frontcourt rotation. There’s a number of teams that come to mind in this regard, including the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Portland Trail Blazers, among many others.

Kornet has played in seven games for the Bulls so far this season (none of which he’s started in), averaging around seven minutes on the floor per game. And he’s averaged 1.3 points per game, 1.4 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.1 blocks. Kornet shot 18.8 percent from the field, 7.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 100.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Whereas the Bulls likely won’t get much in return for a Kornet trade, it could free up roster space to add another key player down the stretch this season.