With all 15 roster spots filled and free agency nearing its conclusion, all eyes now turn to the NBA trade market to see what may happen next. If the Chicago Bulls aren’t done constructing their ideal 2022-23 roster, making a trade would be their best option to balance out the rotation.
In the event the Bulls do make a trade, Coby White is among the most likely players to be on the chopping block. Through no fault of his own, Chicago is simply loaded up on too much backcourt talent and could be better served moving a promising player like Coby to fill a hole elsewhere.
With the backup power forward spot still undecided, trading for a true reserve to fill in behind Patrick Williams would immediately make this team more well-rounded and prepared for another long and difficult regular season.
If the Chicago Bulls wish to acquire a quality reserve forward, trading away Coby White may be their best option.
5. Larry Nance Jr.
It would be an ironic twist of fate, to see the Chicago Bulls come back around on the player they missed out on in the trade that sent Lauri Markkanen to Cleveland in the first place. That trade saw the highly sought-after Larry Nance Jr. go to Portland while Derrick Jones Jr. and a first-round pick were sent to Chicago.
In the days preceding this deal, Nance Jr. was becoming an increasingly talked about trade target. One year later, the need for a player like him on this roster persists. I actually really liked the return the Bulls got, as DJJ turned out to be a solid addition and Chicago was able to recoup some draft capital. But even still, the need persists.
With just one year and $9.6 million left on his deal, Nance Jr. presents an interesting low-risk, high-reward gamble for the Bulls. If everything works out, Chicago could even look to retain him on a team-friendly deal as he progresses into his thirties. Digging up enough money to re-sign Coby, on the other hand, looks like an impossibility at the moment.
There’s a reason why Nance Jr. has become a locker room favorite wherever he goes, and it’s due to his natural charisma and leadership qualities. While the Bulls missed on bringing a similar player like that back in Thaddeus Young, it’s not too late to swing a trade for Nance Jr.
4. Brandon Clarke
We continue on and take a look at a player who would have been ranked much higher in terms of ideal trade targets, had Memphis Grizzlies’ star big man Jaren Jackson Jr. not suffered a stress fracture in his foot. We can instead expect to see Brandon Clarke step up and provide valuable minutes while JJJ recovers from surgery.
That doesn’t mean I don’t think the Bulls should stop pursuing Clarke, however, as he is one of the best possible fits Chicago could swing a trade for. Clarke is an unreal athlete with defensive upside both on the perimeter and interior. Standing at 6’8, he has the size and agility to play a crucial role that no one else on the Bulls currently can.
Clarke is also a ridiculously productive rebounder and efficient pick-and-roll threat. His up-tempo style of play would mesh with these Bulls just as well as it has alongside superstar point guard Ja Morant. At worst, Clarke would be an enormous upgrade to the Bulls’ bench. At best, he could very well challenge Patrick Williams for the role of starting power forward.
You might be asking, “If Brandon Clarke is this good, why would the Grizzlies even trade him?”
That’s a fair question. For all of his strengths, Clarke’s offensive game is still very unpolished and his shooting stroke is downright awful. He’s not a player who’s going to be jacking up threes and spacing the floor, two traits most teams want from their forwards in today’s NBA. However, I think this Bulls team can compensate for Clarke’s weaknesses, seeing as how they’re loaded up on dynamic shot creators.
Clarke is also due for a payday at the end of the year, one the Grizzlies are very unlikely to be able to afford with Ja Morant’s max extension kicking in. Seeing as how they also expended two first-round draft picks in promising power forwards Jake LaRavia and David Roddy, it seems the Grizzlies are preparing for the inevitable departure of Clarke anyways.
Memphis is currently set to have John Konchar be their backup two-guard next season. Coby may have his flaws, but he’s still a massive improvement over Konchar. Exchanging Coby for Clarke would be a mutually beneficial move that addresses a need for both teams, and allows the Grizzlies to test out their new batch of rookie talent until Jaren returns.
3. Oshae Brissett
Amidst swirling rumors of Myles Turner’s future with the team and Indiana’s ill-fated pursuit of Deandre Ayton, there’s a chance for the Chicago Bulls to swoop in here and steal away a quality player from a team that clearly wants to enact a roster shake-up.
After going undrafted in 2019, Oshae Brissett has fought hard to make a name for himself in this league. He would cycle throw several 10-day contracts in both Toronto and Indiana before finally landing himself a full-time gig with the Pacers during the 2021-22 season.
Brissett averaged 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in just 23 minutes per game last year with the Pacers. Not awe-inspiring numbers for a starter, but production you’d be very happy with for a role player coming off the bench.
Shooting an acceptable 35% from deep, Brissett offers solid shooting, rebounding, and defense off the bench. Oshae’s 6’7, 210-pound frame would also add some much-needed size to a Bulls team that’s lacking on the interior.
The Pacers should be interested in this exchange since they’d be acquiring the player with a higher perceived upside while also finding a starting-caliber guard to pair next to Tyrese Haliburton now that Malcolm Brogdon is out of the picture.
Meanwhile, the Pacers seem intent on promoting Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson in the frontcourt behind Myles Turner, while Buddy Hield and Bennedict Mathurin will chew up most of the minutes available on the wing. With Brissett set to receive a payday, he’s the odd man out here and Indiana could look to rebalance their roster in this swap for Coby.
2. Kenyon Martin Jr.
Similar to the aforementioned Brissett, Kenyon Martin Jr. is a player that could find his role and usage eaten up as a result of his team committing to developing a strong youth movement. With rookies Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason joining the recently re-signed Jae’Sean Tate, baby K-Mart’s future in Houston looks more questionable than ever.
Although his father’s pedigree has certainly helped him get his foot in the door, Martin Jr. has not failed to make a genuine NBA player of himself. In two seasons with the Rockets, KMJ has averaged 9 points and 4.3 rebounds while coming off the bench.
Nearly half of Martin Jr.’s shots came within 3 feet of the hoop last year, which he converted at an exceptional rate of 61.7%. Kenyon also provides a valuable floor-stretching presence by hitting 36% of his attempts from deep. That level of inside-out offense is something the Bulls are seriously lacking outside of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
Capable of playing both forward positions, Martin Jr. utilizes his speed, size, and shooting ability to impact the game on both ends of the court. Next to Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr., Kenyon would help make the Bulls’ depth on the wing much more formidable.
What gives Kenyon an edge over the other candidates here is that he’s still only 21 years old. His potential upside should interest the Bulls, especially since he’s under cheap team control through 2024. Instead of worrying about re-signing Coby next summer, Chicago could rest easy knowing they’d have their backup forward locked down on a minimum deal.
1. Jarred Vanderbilt
Jarred Vanderbilt is a player that we’ve been advocating for the Bulls to pursue for quite some time now, as his elite rebounding and hustle play would address one of Chicago’s greatest needs on the low block. Unfortunately, the Bulls would not be able to coax Vanderbilt to the Windy City on a minimum deal last summer. Fortunately, they may have never even needed to.
Dealt to the Utah Jazz in the exchange that sent Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, Vanderbilt now finds himself in a very uncertain role with a team that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. If the rumors that the Jazz are looking to trade Donovan Mitchell are true, then Utah has no real incentive to hold on to Vando either.
By acquiring a boatload of picks for Gobert, Royce O’Neale, and potentially Mitchell, the Jazz are clearly signaling an intent to bottom out and maximize their future assets. If Vanderbilt is made available, the Bulls would be foolish to not swoop on the opportunity.
Sending Coby to Utah could give the Jazz their inevitable Mike Conley replacement, while still keeping the roster construction flexible next to Mitchell (or Jordan Clarkson, or Michael Beasley, or whoever).
With the biggest role Vanderbilt had ever been given in his career, he swooped on the opportunity and made the most of his 25 minutes per game. Averaging 6.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game for Minnesota, Vanderbilt proved to be an excellent Swiss Army Knife asset. Vanderbilt is also one of the largest players the Bulls could potentially acquire, standing a full 6’9 with the size to guard opposing frontcourts effectively.
The lack of a 3-ball is slightly concerning, but an issue I believe a team with as many offensive threats as Chicago has is well-equipped to overcome. If the Bulls do swing a trade for Vanderbilt, I believe they immediately become an improved and much more dangerous team moving forward.