Less than one month ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline this season, the Chicago Bulls and second-year head coach Billy Donovan might not be gearing up for such a busy stretch on the trade block. At least compared to last season, it looks like the Bulls could remain relatively quiet on the trade block.
The same could also be said for how quiet the Bulls could be at the trade deadline this season compared to how active they were in free agency and on the trade block last offseason.
At this point of the season, it looks like the Bulls’ front office might actually be more active on the buyout market than on the trade block. For the Bulls to be active at the trade deadline next month on the open market, it would likely mean parting ways with one of the key pieces of the rotation.
Early names to watch in buyout discussions for the Chicago Bulls
And obviously, that would not be the ideal situation right now. If at all possible, I would imagine that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley will do all they can to avoid messing with the chemistry on this roster right now.
That leaves the Bulls’ front office really just with the possibility of hitting free agency, and more specifically the buyout market if they want to upgrade the roster down the stretch this season. I would buy the idea that the Bulls are going to be more active on the buyout market this season than on the trade block.
Granted, both are certainly possibilities to elevate the Bulls’ contender status this season.
Here’s a look into four early potential buyout market candidates to watch for the Bulls.