On a recent episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon commented on the possibility of Giannis Antetokounmpo hypothetically joining the Chicago Bulls if he's to leave the Milwaukee Bucks. With all the trade speculation concerning the Greek star, anything is possible, right?
When asked about the plausibility of the Bulls getting Giannis, the two had some interesting thoughts. "I would put them on the list if only because Giannis has openly talked about the Bulls in the past," Bontemps said. "So, I mean, if he wants to play in Chicago."
"And they have ownership that famously is not interested in a rebuild," MacMahon said.
If you want to be a dreamer and look at this situation from a glass-half-full perspective, then sure, there could absolutely be something behind what these two are saying here. Antetokounmpo has made comments about Chicago before. If he desires to live in the city and be a Bull, he's likely going to get his wish.
Chicago could be a dark-horse option for Giannis Antetokounmpo
MacMahon's statement feels like the even more relevant one here. As Bulls fans are painfully aware, this is not a team that's super keen on the idea of tearing things down and starting over from scratch (I mean, have you paid attention at all this decade?). If there's one thing Arturas Karnisovas is going to do, it's try to keep putting a competitive product out on the floor, no matter how realistic or unrealistic that may be.
Giannis may be 31 years old and dealing with some recurring injuries. But he's still a top three player in the NBA at worst. If the Bulls believe they have even an outside chance of getting him, they're of course going to throw their hat in the ring. This roster may be a long way away from contending, but adding a player of his stature can change any franchise's situation overnight.
Of course, the odds are still overwhelmingly long, and Chicago would need to mortgage a massive portion of its future to even enter serious conversations. The Bulls don't have the strongest asset pool, and Milwaukee would have no incentive to help a division rival unless the return was overwhelming.
Still, this is exactly the kind of swing the Bulls have historically been willing to take. For a franchise stuck in perpetual limbo, chasing a generational star like Antetokounmpo would be a strong signal that this team is done accepting irrelevance. It would be the fanbase's wildest dreams come true, but don't expect it to happen.