Bulls Rumors: 3 sign-and-trade deals to send Lauri Markkanen to Dallas

Chicago Bulls sign-and-trade deals to send Lauri Markkanen to the Mavs

I will preempt before getting into the final trade on this list that the Bulls and Mavericks would have to find a way to match salaries between the likes of Markkanen and Melli. Getting another lower valued trade piece, or a third team involved to make this happen, is what might be needed.

Yet, the Bulls could really use some draft capital back after all that they dealt out to get Vucevic from the Orlando Magic at the trade deadline nearly two months ago. They gave up two first-round draft picks to the Magic along with third-year center Wendell Carter Jr. and veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr. to get Vucevic and veteran forward Al-Farouq Aminu from the Magic.

If there is a way to make the salary matching work out in the end, then the Bulls could get some future draft capital back on their hands for next year. This particular trade deal has the Bulls shipping off Markkanen for a lottery-protected 2022 first-round draft pick from the Mavericks.

At the moment, the Mavericks still own their original first-round draft pick for 2022. And if they were to add Markkanen by way of a sign-and-trade deal that already features Kristaps and Luka, it’s unlikely they would find themselves in the lottery next summer.

This is maybe the simplest way for the Bulls and Mavericks to get a sign-and-trade deal done to get Markkanen to Dallas.

Competition among multiple suitors to sign the offer sheet of Markkanen would play to the Bulls benefit if they were looking to get a trade deal done with the Mavericks this offseason.