On the afternoon of July 30, one of the more hotly discussed Bulls rumors looks like it could start playing out. The Bulls extended the restricted free agent and fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen a qualifying offer. This is usually something that is indicative of a sign-and-trade deal looming large.
With the next cycle of free agency set to begin with negotiations opening up on Aug. 2, and then signings officially coming down starting on Aug. 6 and 7, the Bulls are getting close to stepping into the next phase of building up this team. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnsiovas and general manager Marc Eversley will usher in the next phase of this franchise trying to re-open the title window.
The process of the Bulls starting to form the roster together in the mold of what the likes of head coach Billy Donovan, along with Karnisovas and Eversley, wanted began really back at the trade deadline on March 25. The Bulls made that big splash move to nab star center Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic for a return of center Wendell Carter Jr., small forward Otto Porter Jr., and two first-round draft picks.
Sources: The Bulls have extended the qualifying offer to Lauri Markkanen, making him a restricted free agent. Markkanen is expected to have several suitors on the market.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 30, 2021
Bulls rumors could lead to a sign-and-trade with Lauri Markkanen
But one of the players that stuck around with the Bulls post-deadline was Markkanen. Unfortunately for Markkanen, though, the Bulls don’t really look to have a significant role for him in the rotation moving forward. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Bulls re-sign him this summer, but more likely than not he will walk.
According to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic/Stadium on Twitter on July 30, the Bulls extended the qualifying offer for Markkanen which means that he will become an unrestricted free agent.
The writing is on the wall now, though, that the Bulls are going to try to move Markkanen in a sign-and-trade deal in the near future. When a qualifying offer is extended, like Markkanen’s was this weekend, it is often the beginning of a deal like that in the works.
Markkanen looked like he would not be playing for the Bulls next season for a good while now. The Bulls don’t look to have Markkanen as a significant part of the future in all likelihood. But there are some options out there for sign-and-trade deals, potentially including someone like the New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball.
Multiple suitors are probably going to be pursuing Markkanen heavily this summer. He’s still got a highly sought-after modern skillset for a big man and seven-footer. That could still get Markkanen at least $15 million in restricted free agency next month.
More dominos are soon to fall in the saga of Markkanen’s restricted free agency. But the pursuit of signing him could end soon if Karnisovas and the Bulls swiftly get a sign-and-trade deal done to fill another position of need.