Billy Donovan, the head coach of GettyHead, and Chicago Bulls #0 Coby White.
In a three-team transaction, the Chicago Bulls dealt DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings.
It’s unclear what the Bulls will do next. However, they still have Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic on the roster who don’t suit their new paradigm. The trade market for both former two-time All-Stars has been slow for the Bulls.
Vucevic’s contract, though, might be more easily transferred. roughly the latter two years of his three-year, $60 million contract, he is owed roughly $41 million.
In the event that he gets dealt, Julia Stumbaugh of Bleacher Report has identified a “top target” to take his place.
After getting Donovan Clingan with the No. 7 choice of the 2024 draft, the Portland Trail Blazers may think about moving for Deandre Ayton, who the Bulls could consider considering, Stumbaugh reported on July 6. “Ayton, who made history last season with the Blazers by averaging 1.0 steals per game, could help the young Bulls improve their defense this autumn.”
Ayton is now training with the Bahamian National Team in anticipation of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
With the Blazers past season, Ayton averaged 16.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He was selected first overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA Draft. In his six-year career, the rebounds were his second-best total.
Ayton’s assists and scoring totals, however, were the second-lowest.
Bulls May Have a Difficult Road to a Potential Trade for Deandre Ayton
In 2024–2025, Ayton will start the third year of a four-year contract worth $132.9 million, with a $34 million cap hit.
An unnamed rival general manager expressed interest in trading for Ayton with the Bulls during the 2023 summer in an interview with Heavy Sports. They were connected to Clingan in the pre-draft phase as well.
Given that he and Robert Williams are on the team, the Blazers do not require a center.
Additionally, they don’t require LaVine, which was one of the speculated possible outcomes when the Bulls expressed interest in Damian Lillard, who is currently with the Milwaukee Bucks.
In order to comply with league regulations, the Bulls would still need to add a higher salary than Vucevic alone. His $20 million cap hit was set.After spending two years away from the game, Lonzo Ball has limited trade value, but he is nearing the end of a four-year, $80 million contract and might add value to a trade package.
To assist close the deal, the Bulls might give the Blazers their 2025 first-round selection back.
The Blazers are currently rebuilding, therefore their selection is protected by lottery until 2028.
Bulls in the DeMar DeRozan trade managed to avoid taking back a sizable salary.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line on July 6, the Bulls’ unwillingness to return a substantial contract in the DeRozan trade is the biggest problem a move for Ayton would cause.
They acquired Chris Duarte, who is in the last year of a rookie-scale contract worth $17.7 million, appropriately enough, but they traded Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs. Counting $5.9 million against the cap in 2024–2025—Duarte, 27, will be eligible for restricted free agency the following offseason.
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