Because Zach LaVine wasn’t named to any of the All-NBA teams announced this week, the Bulls will be facing a lower price for a maximum deal for the free agent guard, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. LaVine can re-sign with Chicago for up to $212.3MM over five years, while rival teams will be limited to four years at $157.4MM.
The roughly $55MM difference will work in the Bulls’ favor, but Cowley echoes several other reports suggesting that re-signing LaVine isn’t a sure thing. He lists the Lakers, Hawks and Trail Blazers as teams with interest and says more are expected to emerge as free agency draws closer.
Cowley adds “all indications” are that Bulls management plans to offer a full max deal, and it will be up to LaVine to decide whether he wants to continue his career in Chicago. If he does want to move on, Cowley expects executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas to explore sign-and-trade options.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Cowley’s assessment of LaVine is part of an overall look at the Bulls‘ backcourt, where the fate of Coby White is also uncertain. White will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension this summer, but Cowley believes the front office is more likely to try to trade him for outside shooting help. Cowley doesn’t expect free agent Matt Thomas to return and says the team could target TyTy Washington or Malaki Branham in the draft if either is still available at No. 18.
- Expect the Pistons to be among the teams pursuing Suns center Deandre Ayton, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press states in a mailbag column. Ayton will be a restricted free agent, and Sankofa suggests Detroit might use Jerami Grant to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal. Grant is entering the final year of his current contract and is eligible for a four-year extension worth $112MM.
- Evan Sidery of Basketball News looks at five potential trade destinations for Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon, who may no longer be in the team’s plans after the acquisition of Tyrese Haliburton. Sidery proposes potential deals involving the Suns, Jazz, Lakers, Timberwolves and Heat.
I don’t listen to anything Cowley says. Dudes a joke.
Without salary cap room, Lakers and Knicks are interested in all the good free agents via trade
Are the trade pieces from Lakers and Knicks handsome?
Handsome is in the eyes of beholder
Westbrook and Randle are handsome
Sillyman ….. Knicks are rebuilding. They will only go after young vets, like LaVine or Ayton. Both which I doubt they can get. Right now it’s all about the draft for us. Then we will go from there.
Are they rebuilding? Or are they trying to build and compete all at the same time? Feels like they got a foot in both.
I agree @TrueOutcomeFan. The Knicks seem to have been rebuilding for the better part of 20 years.. I highly doubt they are actually rebuilding now. They keep trying to add pieces to an already decent roster. They were unlucky with injuries. The first half they looked like a possible 4 seed.
I have never seen Brogdon as a PG. More a combo guard to me. He’s good for a system PG. Like Warriors run. But as a lead guard. He doesn’t work for me. He’s better off starting at the 2.
Maybe the Knicks will hire you someday. You seem to know everything.
I couldn’t do worse than they have. I just know more than you. And that’s not saying much. Real ballers don’t need others to tell them about a game. Knowing how to play means you never stop learning. Competition is about todays game. Maybe if you actually followed a team. You could actually make a point one day.
Oh Alex, I don’t think you’d survive one NY media session.
Coby White shot 38.5% from 3 last season. Who they gonna get for him that’s better than that?
The problem with white is his a liability on defence and is also surplus in the backcourt with ball, Lavine, Caruso and dosunmu.
The bulls need a true 3&d players like finney smith who can make triplesand defend.
They remember they were at their best when both ball and Caruso where healthy.
Balls health is a question mark at the moment and Lavine might go but the bulls should trade white for a more suitable player.
If Lavine leaves, they will need White more, especially given Caruso and Ball have had injury issues. White is among Bulls best shooters and has more value than I’d expect to get in return if dealt.
I also think they should be looking for rim protection and depth at 4-5 spots in draft/free agency.
White is not a starter in any team hoping for a deep playoff run. He’s a starter on teams like the kings.
Caruso’s main injury was a freak one, you don’t break your wrist every year from lethal hits like this. White can’t run a team like Ball, he’s not a PG.
If Lavine leaves, White can’t replace him in any case.
White can’t replace Lavine but can contribute to Bulls. I like him in 6th man role.
When I saw “deal White for outside shooting help” I had the same thought. Maybe they meant wing or frontcourt outside shooting help.
Suns are likely to trade Ayton to salary cap room team but not for Grant
Centerpiece is not Grant
Ayton is gone… S&T… Suns need back up COMBO GUARD/ PG to back up CP3 , BOOKER. Hey, at CP3’s age injuries are big, especially always hurt in playoffs… BROGDON would fit with multiple teams… S&T with Ayton, multiple team trade….
Brogdon is linked to Westbrook, not Ayton.
Coby White and Vooch for Ayton and Saric? Can the do a sign & trade with other players in the deal?
You can just make them separate deals. That’s too much going out anyway, you would have to add to the Chicago side to match what’s coming in.
The suns would laugh at that offer
Not necessarily, if Ayton is leaving anyway…
$55 mil is a lot to give up. Plus, Chicago is a great city to be a millionaire in. Lakers, Hawks, and blazers are less likely to compete, at least at this point.
He doesn’t have to give it up because he would be signed and then traded.
I think I read it right, but can Detroit create $27 mil in cap space next year? (Minus cap holds)
If so, do they have a legitimate chance of signing Ayton?
PHX may match that. Ayton gets hollered at there, but it would be Suns call.
Thanks %x. I was just thinking what Detroit looks like if they can put deal on the table that the Suns won’t pay…
So, if Detroit outright signs Ayton and then S&T Grant for either Zach or Brunson, are they a playoff team? Or least a play-in?
Cause then the Suns can go after Mo, Mitchel, or 3&D help.
Does anyone else agree/ disagree?
Too much bad blood between Ayton’s camp & Suns… Suns believe without CP3, distributing the ball, he is worth less offensively… they can replace him defensively… BO BAMBA IS A PERFECT REPLACEMENT, 3 & D CENTER. Suns need back up combo guard as well. Why spend all that $$$ on a disgruntled player. His offensive #’s will fall off without CP3.. also, he has defensive help from Bridges & Jae Crowder, who both should not be under-looked in Suns defensive rotation. Ayton will get paid, but not from the Suns….
@Basketball
What has CP3 done to really make him better? His FG% went up a bit but he was already a 55% guy. If anything his FG attempts decreased because of CPE.
A center can only apply his craft when the team make a legit effort to get them thr ball 15 to 20 x a game.
Suns got where they are quickly by going with smart players, dumping the not-so-smart, a couple years ago after getting James Jones at GM. If they could pull off a de-facto Ayton-Bamba free-agent switch (meaning the Magic do not match for Bamba), Detroit’s odds go way up, and $27m may do it, if there’s no max offer. But many claim a max will be offered somewhere, saying that would then be his value. Even if most teams value him much less, say 4/$88, he could still be maxxed in this year’s slim pickings.
Suns have access to McGee, Biyombo, Saric & Kaminski that a top-line center can split minutes with.
Ayton, Bey, Stewart, Cade, Joseph, Jackson, Diallo, Olynyk, Lee, Bagley, Srvidas, high first, Grant or trade… sounds like play-in if Casey uses Joseph not Killian & Olynyk not Bagley… but they may value youth & lottery picks.
And I doubt they can get Lavine with Ayton too… Grant’s only at $21m for exchanging. Probably not Brunson either. Cripes I’d rather a place for Shaedon Sharpe.
On target
Surely Ayton can see that the future is brighter with DET than with PHO… will that be a factor?
Obviously as a pro player his priority must be $$$… winning is the next priority far back!
How long does ‘mute’ last? Cannot figure out why this feature is not working for me.
Surely the Don doesn’t know athletes. You know how you maximize your money. By winning and showing up. This is a performance pay structure. I doubt you know what is important to Ayton lol.
Suns can not afford to let Ayton walk. If the stories are true about him and his coach. That they don’t value centers for max money. Then it seems they will look for a sign n trade partner. Suns can get get good value for Ayton. He is just starting to hit his groove. Detroit is actually a great place for him. Imo it’s a big mistake. Chris is on his last leg. Booker and Ayton could take this team to many Finals. Suns better make sure what they want. This can really change up the NBA imo.
Thanks Al. Correct me if I’m wrong, but if Ayton signs an offer, then the Suns have a certain time to match or let him go…If Detroit, sells him on that team and an offer the Suns won’t pay, the Sun lose him.
If Detroit sells the same team to Brunson and Zach – and gets one in a S&T for Grant is Detroit a play off team?
If he signs offer as RFA. Suns only need to match it. And he stays for that amount. So he can’t sign offer. He goes to Suns and says. For example.
Pistons are making me a max offer. That’s where I want to go. Then Suns sign him for more max money and trade him to Pistons. That’s how it will go down. Suns can match any offer.
mmm. Alright. On to next one.
only problem is the Suns don’t want to match a max offer so it’s not that easy. If the Suns ask too much from the pistons, ayton can simply sign with the pistons and force the suns hand. No way the pistons give that much for an rfa. I doubt the bulls sign and trade Lavine for grant either, he doesn’t fit our needs and Lavine would overlap with Cunningham would he?
The pistons could simply get tyus jones and ayton and have a playoff team if everything clicks together
Pistons with right pick can be a playoff team. If they can get Ayton. For Grant, Hayes and future picks. They are definitely a playoff team. Ayton imo makes them a future power.
That’s what I was thinking…. Maybe it happens – maybe not
Not sure if I like that Jeremy Grant for Ayton trade scenario. Maybe a 3 way trade with Portland..
Portland gets Jeremy Grant and the Pistons 2nd round pick.
Phoenix gets Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes
Detroit gets Deandre Ayton and Portlands 7th pick
Portland is rebuilding why would they trade away 7 for grant? He hardly moves the needle from being a bottom of the league team
You are not rebuilding with lillard, they are retooling, n e cover said anything about rebuilding.
And grant can help you win some games while the 7th puck might end up playing 5 mins like a lot of them do.