Bulls Rumors: Chicago still feeling out the market for Lauri Markkanen
An incredibly busy morning for first-year Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley on trade deadline day looks to keep on going into the afternoon. On the morning of March 25, multiple Bulls rumors have played out, including the ability to deal veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr. and third-year center Wendell Carter Jr.
A few players still remain on the Bulls roster at this point of deadline day, though, after making deals with both the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards.
The Bulls’ big move of the morning of deadline day involved shipping off OPJ, WCJ, and two future lottery-protected first round draft picks to the Magic for star big man Nikola Vucevic and forward Al-Farouq Aminu.
And then came the deal with the Wizards later in the morning. The Bulls shipped off third-year small forward Chandler Hutchison and second-year center Daniel Gafford for a return of 21-year-old small forward Troy Brown Jr. and former Los Angeles Lakers big man Mo Wagner.
Per a source: The Chicago Bulls are still looking at Lauri Markkanen trades. Chicago doesn't see him and Nikola Vucevic as a long-term fit next to each other in the frontcourt.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 25, 2021
More on the Bulls rumors front concerning Lauri Markkanen
Heading into the early afternoon of March 25, Karnisovas and the Bulls are reportedly (per Twitter post of Keith Smith) still looking into potential deals for fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen. In the dying hours of the trading window on deadline day, the Bulls are still remaining active to try and reshape this roster.
After the Vucevic deal went down, apparently the Bulls’ new front office feels that the seven-footer and former Arizona Wildcats big man Markkanen isn’t a good long-term fit in the frontcourt along with the former Magic two-time All-Star. Markkanen is also in the midst of the final year of his rookie contract, which made him a trade candidate at the deadline as is.
The Bulls elected not to hand Markkanen a contract extension last offseason, which means he will hit the restricted free agent market come next summer. He is still a name to watch for the rest of deadline day, especially if Karnisovas and the Bulls are still pushing hard to get a deal done with the New Orleans Pelicans to land point guard Lonzo Ball.
Next. 3 players to target in a Lauri Markkanen trade. dark
The talk of the town among Bulls rumors at the moment still considers what Karnisovas can do to get a deal done that would primarily swap Markkanen with Lonzo. Upgrading the point guard position looks to be a huge priority for the Bulls at this point of deadline day.