Chicago Bulls with most at stake financially: Lauri Markkanen
Last but certainly not least, the former seventh overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft rounds out the list. Markkanen has already seen his market take a hit due to his play this season but still has a chance to remind teams what he is capable of when at his best.
Still, it won’t be easy to show enough for anyone to offer him big money for multiple years. That ship may have sailed and he may be looking to prove himself this coming season. The Bulls would be wise to walk away from their big man and only get involved if the potential exists for a sign and trade.
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Outside of that, it’s safe to say both sides would benefit from a change. Markkanen’s value has been dropping even harder since the Bulls brought in Nikola Vucevic at the deadline. The sharpshooting big man has lacked aggression and confidence and that will be a big concern for potential suitors.
Still just 23 years old, it’s also easy to see why a team would take a fairly significant chance on the big man. He’s a sharpshooting seven-footer with a ton of athleticism. He has had an up and down start to his career but he has proven capable of things that are valued in today’s NBA.
He needs to be covered by a strong rebounding center that protects the rim, but a number of teams can offer that in a way the Bulls have no chance of matching. It’s tough to predict what the big man will get in restricted free agency, but anything of significant value is going to be enough for the Bulls to happily walk away.