There is always speculation of what a team with a building roster like the Chicago Bulls could do on the open market to continue to take to a win-now mentality. But the latest of the Bulls rumors to circulate the mill brings more intrigue to the table than really have in the last three or four years.
According to a report from K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago on May 13, the Bulls could at least consider the Washington Wizards star shooting guard Bradley Beal as a potential trade target this offseason. Among the names mentioned in various rumor mill discussions concerning the Bulls for this offseason, Beal is definitely the biggest heard so far.
Other key names tossed around the Bulls rumor mill for the offseason are the New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Dennis Schroder, and San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan.
More on the Bulls rumors concerning star Bradley Beal
While this report from K.C. doesn’t necessarily mean that the Bulls are going to full boar pursue a Beal trade this offseason, it is still significant. It shows how committed the likes of executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley will be to building a winner in Chicago.
Here’s more on what this report from NBC Sports Chicago had to say on the matter of the Bulls seeking out a Beal trade in the near future.
"That’s the thing to remember. I expect plenty of change this offseason. But I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bulls try to work their books so that they have significant cap space in 2022. There already is speculative talk around the league — emphasis on speculative — that Bradley Beal could be a target. I assume that’s largely because of his relationship with Donovan. It’s speculative for many reasons, not the least of which that there’s no guarantee that Beal will be a free agent then. He owns a player option for 2022-23. But he’d be an intriguing piece alongside LaVine and Vučević."
There’s a lot to digest here.
The Bulls would obviously have a tremendous trio of stars building if they were able to slot Beal alongside star shooting guard Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic. Beal is a three-time All-Star selection, Vucevic was selected twice, and LaVine got his first career All-Star nod this year.
A possibility of the Bulls having three All-Star selections and All-NBA contenders on the same roster would give the fans in the Windy City something they haven’t seen since the early-to-mid 2010s. Even in the latter days of star shooting guard/small forward Jimmy Butler leading the way for the Bulls, they didn’t come close to amassing that caliber of talent.
The Bulls would have to invest a ton even to get the Wizards to the table to discuss a Beal trade. They would also have to figure out a way to free up the cap space to bring him into the mix. Beal has three years remaining on his current contract, which is worth around $30-35 million annually for the base salary.
First-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls are now fighting the odds to get a spot in the postseason. It is likely to be the Wizards assuming that final spot in the play-in tournament this year. Next up for the Bulls is a meeting with the Toronto Raptors at home on May 13.