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CHSN’s KC Johnson on where the Bulls stand ahead of the trade deadline
CHSN’s KC Johnson joins Tina Nguyen to talk all things Bulls, including Derrick Rose’s impact on the franchise, the team’s current four-game win streak, and what to watch as the NBA trade deadline approaches.
The Chicago Bulls have made a trade.
To be more accurate, they took part in a trade, according to reports. The Bulls didn't give anything up. Instead, they acted as a financial buffer to take on an expiring contract.
What we know:
ESPN is reporting the Bulls, Kings and Cavaliers were involved in a three-team trade Saturday night.
The Cavaliers are making the biggest splash, trading De'Andre Hunter to the Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis.
The Bulls are acquiring two second round picks and forward Dario Saric in this trade. Saric comes from the Kings, who needed to clear some room financially to acquire Hunter, and his contract is worth $5.4 million. That contract will also expire at the end of this season.
Saric has averaged one point per game and 1. 2 rebounds per game in five games played. He's an 11-year NBA veteran.
According to multiple reports, the Bulls will waive guard Jevon Carter to make room for Saric.
Big picture view:
The Bulls acquired an expiring contract and two draft picks. This isn't an uncommon move in the NBA.
Teams have often made moves to acquire expiring contracts to set themselves up for a bigger swing in the offseason. The Bulls have seven contracts set to expire at the end of this season, Saric's contract included.
Coby White and Nikola Vucevic's contracts are also two that will expire. It remains to be seen if the Bulls move them by the end of the trade deadline this upcoming week.
The Bulls have oftentimes been criticized for not having a clear direction the last few years, especially as they've torn down the core they pieced together in 2021 with DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Vucevic. They've traded away Ball, DeRozan and LaVine and did not acquire any extra draft capital in those moves.
Trading Vucevic would most likely result in a draft pick coming back to the Bulls. However, even if the Bulls don't land any extra picks before the deadline, they still might add draft capital this offseason with sign-and-trade deals.
This is some sort of plan that seems to be in motion for the Bulls.
They have the young pieces they've drafted and put in their development system, like Matas Buzelis and Ayo Dosunmu. They have players they've acquired via trade still under contract for at least another season, like Josh Giddey and Isaac Okoro.
The Bulls could upgrade the roster with some free agent signings. They could also benefit from some luck with some luck in the NBA lottery with a high pick in a draft class loaded with top-rated prospects.
It feels like the beginning stages of a plan for the Bulls as they try and build a roster that will make the playoffs instead of being bounced in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
It remains to be seen if this plan, or whatever the Bulls' front office is piecing together, will produce a winning team.