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[Chicago Bulls]

Chicago Bulls analyst floats two names found in trade rumors

The Chicago Bulls don’t have a ton of roster flexibility right now following the NBA draft. When (or if, though it seems much more like a when) they re-sign Josh Giddey, that will effectively be their final move, because they don’t have space for other players after re-signing Tre Jones.

They can, however, make moves by trade. They can clear up roster spots or flip players out by trading them. Two names have come up in trade rumors lately, and neither one of them is Nikola Vucevic.

Chicago Bulls insider says two players are up for trade​

Apr 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives to the basket against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

Nikola Vucevic is 35 and on an expiring contract. He makes total sense for the Chicago Bulls to trade, as he still has value, is old, and is not part of the future plans. They may do that, but the two names being tossed around right now are Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.

The two guards, according to insider K.C. Johnson, could be moved. “I can report with pretty strong certainty that I have heard Ayo Dosunmu’s name mentioned in trade chatter far more than Coby White,” Johnson reported. “That’s not to say Coby White will not be dealt, but I actually would be surprised if he is.”

He added that there’s an internal belief that White can be a part of the future. There is some faith that Dosunmu can be a good two-way player, but there’s less confidence in Dosunmu being a franchise cornerstone than in White.

NBA: Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls Feb 28, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) is seen during a game against the Toronto Raptors at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Bulls are at a bit of a crossroads. With Dosunmu and White in particular, those two players will need extensions soon. White will command a larger price tag, but both will be costly to keep. Do the Bulls continue down this current path, or do they do a soft reset and acquire assets to go with Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Noa Essengue?

That remains to be seen, but for now, both those players are possible trade candidates, which would answer the question. If one or both is moved, it would signal at least some recognition that the front office can’t keep doing what it has been doing.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chica...m_campaign=chicago-bulls-analyst-trade-rumors

 

[Chicago Bulls]

Chicago Bulls analyst believes team has makings of strong defensive duo

The Chicago Bulls selected Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. They followed it up by taking Noa Essengue, a similar mold of player, with the 12th pick a year later. That may seem like doubling down unnecessarily, especially when the team needs a center pretty badly. One team analyst, however, believes this could be the makings of something special.

Chicago Bulls analyst likes future pairing of Noa Essengue, Matas Buzelis​

NBA: Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls Feb 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) reacts after making a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Down the line, Noa Essengue and Matas Buzelis are highly likely to be key players for the Chicago Bulls. They could, in the eyes of Cam Smith, be a formidable defensive duo pretty soon. “You bring in a guy like Noa Essengue, and you think of what this Bulls team is, with the length, the versatility, the athleticism across the perimeter, and pairing him up with Matas Buzelis,” Smith said.

“You’re looking at two guys that really, as they grow into their one bodies but also their NBA careers as players, could be a formidable duo on the defensive end, but also when you think about the style of play that they’re going to play up and down and making plays at the rim,” Smith added. He said that Essengue is a player who could be a game-changer on the defensive end.

The insider also implored fans not to make the comparison between Buzelis and Essengue, because they’re two different players with different development tracks. Buzelis broke out last year and looks like a steal from the 2024 class, but Essengue may need more time to develop.

NBA: Draft

Essengue is “not as fluid or versatile” on offense as Buzelis, but Smith firmly believes that the 2025 prospect will get there “at some point.” In the meantime, he should be valuable enough on the defensive end to help shore up some shortcomings for the Bulls. The hope is that Essengue can get on the floor in year one to get meaningful minutes, something that happened and helped Buzelis develop in his rookie season.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chica...um=rss&utm_campaign=chicago-bulls-analyst-duo

 

[Chicago Bulls]

Chicago Bulls blockbuster trade proposed by Phoenix Suns insider

The Chicago Bulls may want to explore some trades to change or diversify their roster. With so many players already signed and with Josh Giddey all but assured to be next, the roster is pretty full, so the only option is to trade. Phoenix Suns insider Gerald Bourguet has a blockbuster deal to do just that, but it may not make much sense for Chicago.

Phoenix Suns insider floats insane trade for Chicago Bulls​

Jan 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) greets fans after a game against the Denver Nuggets at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

In the blockbuster proposal, Gerald Bourguet came up with Patrick Williams, Zach Collins, and Jevon Carter for Bradley Beal. The insider added that the Suns would have to get creative to make roster space for the three incoming players, but that it could be done. It involved flipping Carter and Collins, expiring contracts, for more assets, thereby leaving Williams with the Suns.

“Williams is the one you’d be stuck with. He has four years and $72 million left on his deal. That is bad,” Bourguet said. “He’s a four, so there’s that, but… he probably wouldn’t play very much because he’s not very good. That is kind of the cost of getting off of Beal’s contract.”

Bourguet said the good news is that the Suns, who don’t have any tradeable first-round picks right now, wouldn’t have to attach a first-rounder to this deal, which may or may not be true. While Williams is on a bad contract, it’s not as bad as the Beal deal. And Chicago would be depleting valuable depth, especially in the frontcourt, to take on Beal, so there’s hardly any incentive for the Bulls.

Beal does have two years left on a bad deal, whereas Williams has four, but Williams is much cheaper overall, and Chicago doesn’t get better in this trade. It might be worth trying to get off of Williams’ contract, but not at the cost of $50.2 million Beal.

NBA: Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers

Bourguet said this is a rare situation where a team won’t ask the Suns what they get in return for taking on Bradley Beal, but that doesn’t feel accurate, either. The Bulls may have a history of ineptitude, with Williams’ contract maybe being a good example of that, but they’re not stupid.

This is a team with a better future than Phoenix and one with a play-in game appearance and some possible building blocks. To tank all the growth and potential play-in or even playoff appearances next year with a wide-open East would be silly, especially without even getting draft compensation in return.

“The Bulls are notorious for taking bad deals where they do not get draft picks back for whatever reason,” Bourguet said. That may have been true, but this is a little more egregious than most deals, and the Bulls would probably not want to do it.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chica...m_campaign=chicago-bulls-phoenix-suns-insider

 

[Chicago Bulls]

Report: Chicago Bulls nowhere near huge Josh Giddey contract

The Chicago Bulls had one main goal this offseason, and that was to bring back Josh Giddey. One offseason after they flipped Alex Caruso for him, Giddey hit restricted free agency. The young guard played well in his one season with Chicago. His youth and talent indicated that a pretty substantial deal was imminent.

The expectation initially was that he’d sign for $30 million per season, something like the five-year, $150 million deal Jalen Suggs signed with the Orlando Magic. But with virtually no competition, the Bulls have tried to get a better deal for their books. So far, a deal is not remotely near.

NBA insider says Chicago Bulls, Josh Giddey remain apart​

NBA: Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers
Feb 24, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) drives around Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

There was a report that Josh Giddey might ask for north of $30 million on his contract with the Bulls. Whatever he is asking for, whether it’s more or less than that benchmark, is apparently a lot more than the Bulls want to pay.

Per Drew Stevens, the two sides are “the Gulf of Mexico apart.” In other words, there is still a chasm between what each side is willing to do, and there’s no end to the negotiation in sight. Chicago may be trying to spend less because they don’t view Giddey as the best player on a competitive team. That’s part of why the Oklahoma City Thunder traded him and then immediately won the NBA Finals.

Giddey may be pointing to his excellent play for them, notably after the All-Star Break, where he guided them to a Play-In Tournament outing and helped them finish the season on a pretty high note, their crash-and-burn loss to Miami notwithstanding.

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) looks to pass the ball against Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) during the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Either way, there’s a disconnect in the value. Naturally, Giddey is higher on himself than others might be. The Bulls, whether it’s because of his defensive limitations or lower ceiling, are lower on him. Right now, that’s causing a rift between the two sides. However, with no real competition and no traction with any other teams despite his RFA status, Giddey and the Bulls can continue to work things out.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/repor...utm_campaign=report-chicago-bulls-josh-giddey

 

[Chicago Bulls]

Chicago Bulls insiders discuss mock trade for star guard

There are two Chicago Bulls guards who have come up in trade talks this offseason. Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White have, with Dosunmu being viewed as the more likely player to be moved. The Bulls have little roster flexibility right now, so trades are the only way they can really change things.

Flipping Dosunmu would provide that flexibility while adding some resources, presumably. What could Chicago even get for the guard? A few insiders posited one mock trade to consider.

NBA insiders mock trades for Chicago Bulls guard​

NBA: Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls Feb 28, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) is seen during a game against the Toronto Raptors at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

If Ayo Dosunmu gets traded, the Chicago Bulls could end up with a fairly decent return. Cam Smith suggested a deal including Dosunmu and a 2028 second-round pick for Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies. “Clarke is a lively body that plays in the frontcourt, very athletic, and would fit Billy Donovan’s system,” Smith said.

David Haugh admitted that he’d prefer to get someone without an injury concern back for Dosunmu. Clarke missed the 2024-25 season with an Achilles tear. Gabe Ramirez said that moving for Clarke would help Chicago finally cement the power forward spot since Patrick Williams hasn’t really worked out.

Ramirez added that the injury history could mean the Bulls land Clarke for cheap. Smith circled back to say that the Memphis star could be motivated to get back and better than ever, which would be good for the Bulls.

Since Dosunmu is a former second-round pick, the value in trading him and a future second-round pick for Clarke is not terrible. Dosunmu has been very good and fits the Bulls’ system well, but they don’t necessarily have as much of a need for guards right now.

Dec 19, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) drives to the basket against the Boston Celtics in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Dosunmu is in the final year of his contract, which makes him an easy trade target. Contending teams love to bring in short-term rentals, and they could do worse than adding a two-way guard like Dosunmu. There’s no guarantee he gets traded, but it’s plausible, and the Bulls might want to do it to quietly get some more assets while they refuse to outright tear down and rebuild.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chica...tm_campaign=chicago-bulls-insiders-mock-trade