In addition to sharing the latest updates on Nets guard Cam Thomas, NBA insider Jake Fischer checked in on the other three most notable remaining restricted free agents during his Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday, discussing Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes.
Fischer stated that he doesn’t expect there to be resolution on either Giddey or Grimes this month (YouTube link) and expressed a belief that Grimes, Kuminga, and Thomas will eventually agree to short-term deals with their respective teams rather than long-term contracts (YouTube link).
While that leaves Giddey as the most likely player of the quartet to work out a longer-term agreement, Fischer added that he thinks Giddey’s dynamic with the Bulls is the “most strained” of the bunch right now, due to how the negotiations have played out so far (YouTube link).
Here’s more from Fischer:
- Before Marcus Smart agreed to a buyout with Washington and signed with the Lakers, the Wizards had “a ton” of trade discussions about the former Defensive Player of the Year, per Fischer (YouTube link). The Bucks, Hawks, and Heat were among the teams that spoke to the Wizards about possible deals involving Smart, according to Fischer, who says that Washington and Miami talked at one point about a trade that would’ve included Terry Rozier.
- Responding to a question about the possibility of the Bulls trading Nikola Vucevic, Fischer stressed that there isn’t much of a market for the veteran center (YouTube link). “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade,” Fischer said. “Depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There just really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vucevic trade market in a while.”
- Fischer views the Timberwolves as perhaps the most logical landing spot for free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon (YouTube link). Fischer acknowledges that that Minnesota wants to give youngsters Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. more opportunities to establish themselves as rotation players, but notes that the team could use another veteran option to complement Mike Conley, who will turn 38 in October. “I think Minnesota still stands as a really good situation for Malcolm Brogdon and one that he’s been monitoring, one that the Wolves have checked in on,” Fischer said. “I’m not making a prediction, but I think that’s a good situation for Malcolm Brogdon.”
Giddey’s relationship with the Bulls is the most strained. Huh. Go figure. They just threw money at a guy that sucks. So yeah by all means stiff the guy who can play. Look just trade Coby White for Kaminga, Or better yet trade Coby White for something the Warriors DO WANT and make it work. It would take people with imagination though. That’s definitely lacking.
Why trade Coby White? Is it unlikely that he’ll sign an extension?
I’m looking at it this way: The Bulls have Huerter, Okoro and Dalen Terry here for SG and maybe Essengue. You have Matas, Smith and Collins for PF. You are stuck with Vuj, Smith, Collins and The 2nd rounder for C’s. Tre Jones, Giddey and Jevon Carter who nobody wants so he’s here anyway at PG. The trade bait you have is Ayo and White whose value will never be higher than it is now. They have a chance to clear the books and add a piece in Kuminga to go with Matas and Essengue and maybe you have the start of something. They should have plenty of Cap Space and if they do it right some nice draft picks. But they won’t. They’re dumb. That would be the smart play. Matas , Phillips , Huerter , Essengue for SF. Mix and match. White won’t get you a Championship. I think we all see that.
I think you left out Williams.. but anyway, I kind of look at the Bulls now as being led by White. If I’m them, it’s imperative that they re-sign him. I mean, as a Nets fan I definitely have an eye on him. He would be one of the top guys I’m trying to acquire if he won’t re-sign with the Bulls.
I look at the Bulls assuming Giddey signs as:
Giddey, White, Huerter, Matas, Vuc
Tre, Ayo, Okoro, Williams, Collins
Yuki, Terry, Essengue, Smith, Lachlan
I think the ones they would consider the most expendable are Huerter and Ayo. And obvsly they would love to dump Williams if they could. I look at Coby White as a core player there.. if he isn’t, I would be all over him.
No I didn’t. I said they threw a bunch of money at a guy who sucks. Oh you mean as a player? No that was intentional. He’s worthless.
Ah yeah at the top. I still don’t follow your view on Coby, but ok.
That was a lot for my eyes but Kuminga won’t win you a championship either. I’d rather keep White over Kuminga all things considered.
10 guards and no PF’s won’t win you one either.
Essengue might play the 3, he might play the 4, or he might even play a small-ball situational 5 for short stints, but he will NEVER play a minute at shooting guard…
As currently constructed, their main rotation of forwards are Matas, Okoro, P-Will, Essengue, and Phillips. Their main Guards are Giddey, White, Ayo, T.Jones, Carter, and Yuki, etc.
Terry and Huerter are kind of tweeners who can play either the two or the three.
Then, at the 5 spot that leaves Vucevic, Z.Collins, J.Smith, and Giddey’s bff Olbrich.
And that spells championship to you? Wow that’s delusional. LMAO
I don’t think anyone has claimed that it’s a title contending roster.
With Giddey’s poor defense and White being an undersized 2, who also doesn’t defend the perimeter well, sadly, I think White ultimately has to go.
The Bulls should look to target a younger Center that can grow with their core, and one that can help defend the post. A pick and roll lob threat would fit perfectly alongside Giddey, and playing at a faster pace offensively, you’re also going to want someone who is athletic.
If I was running the Bulls, I would instantly call up Miami, and I would do my best to facilitate a trade revolving around C.White with Miami sending back Ware in return.
There would need to have some work done around the edges to match salaries, possibly even including a third team in the deal, but I think the following would work well for both teams on paper and from a financial perspective as well:
Chicago acquires:
Terry Rozier
Kel’el Ware
Miami acquires:
Jalen Smith
Jevon Carter
Coby White
1 future 2nd Round pick
1 future second round pick swap
Grom the Bulls perspective, they’ll have their built-in 6th man and scoring threat to come off the bench in Rozier for this season, and they’ll have their rim running, young, and athletic Center in Ware who can grow with their long and lengthy pair of forwards, and can would compliment their roster perfectly.
You would obviously trade Vucevic in a separate deal, and then the Bulls could fill out a rotation of
Giddey
Ayo
Buzelis
Essengue
Ware
Jones
Rozier/Huerter/Terry
Okoro/Huerter/Terry
P-Will/Phillips
Collins/Olbrich
Giddey, Ware, Buzelis, Essengue, Ayo, and Jones would be their main core to build around moving forward, and I think that group would significantly raise their ceiling and their floor. You have now improved the Bulls stock moving forward solely by acquiring better fits for their system. In conclusion, you’re basically swapping out C.White and N.Vucevic for Rozier and Ware. Which, this would also make room for the Bulls to then go all-in on keeping Ayo and showing him he’s their guy by moving him into the starting line-up and hopefully instilling some confidence in Ayo that despite all the rumors this franchise wants Dosunmu to be here for the foreseeable future as one of the faces of this young and developing team.
They might still struggle a bit in their half court sets offensively, but defensively, they could give teams some absolute fits and they’d cause a ton of chaos and havoc using their positional versatility, length, and their athleticism. The ultimate goal would be to finally create an identity for this Bulls team, and that would be knowing what you’re going to get from this squad on a nightly basis. Each and every night, the Bulls opponents would know they are going up against a young, fiesty, athletically gifted, long team who will wear you down with their physicality on defense and with their pace on offense!!
Thoughts?
Do your fingers have Tourettes?
White’s a better player than Kuminga.
The Bulls seem to be wanting to have cheap young talent that they underpay to have huge cap space both next year and the year after to try to get either Giannis or the Joker if they become available.
They’re a bigger market, but I don’t think either will want to go to Chicago with the ness they have been for a while now.
I was just in Chicago for a week. No mess. Really great city, clean and safe. You might watch too much FoxNews.
Well first I was taking about the mess the Bulls have been for a long time now.
However, since you want to get into the city, let’s do that. Chicago’s per capita homicide rate was 21.9 per 100,000 in 2024, and that was actually a low compared to the last 10 years when the it has fluctuated between 23 and 29.7 per 100,000.
Btw, I consume a large varied news sources and abhor the far left as much as far right. I look at raw data, not what some talking heads on both sides are trying to sell their poorly informed public.
By comparison NYC homicide rate rate was 4.7 (about one-fifth of NYC’s), and that rate has been about the same for a couple of decades now. Los Angeles per capita homicide rate was 8.4 per 100,000, but should start coming down now that the far left District Attorney was booted out of office at the end of last year. But even then LA’s homicide rate was about a third of Chicago’s.
So, your anecdotal review is meaningless. There are actual stats out there that let us know how cities compare as far as crime and all kinds of data.
Dude I live in Chicago, and one of the sketchier neighborhoods at that, it’s fine. But you stay in your cul de sac enclave that makes you feel safe cuz everyone is just like you, we don’t want you here.
Hah, strange you took it like that.
Is Giddey for Kuminga feasible? Help me out chat
No
Money wise it is but the Warriors say he’s not a fit for them. But if push comes to shove maybe they take him and move him themselves. Warriors want a C and don’t want Vujevic.
It’s literally not possible. They are both Restricted Free agents. You cannot sign-and-trade one player for another, that is not allowed. There are other ways that they could move off of Kuminga and acquire Giddey, but they cannot be traded for one another.
Not 1 for 1 but it can be done I’m sure.
No you’re not listening bro it literally can’t be done you cannot sign-and-trade a free agent for another free agent. As I said in my comment there are other ways the warriors could move off Kuminga (Sign-and-trade him or let him walk) and then they could sign Giddey. But they cannot be traded for one another at least not until December 15th
White isn’t a FA so your argument doesn’t hold water. Think about it. You’re not paying attention. Giddey is a FA. White is signed for this year. I suggested trading White for Kuminga but the Warriors don’t seem to want Vujevic or White. That’s what I’ve been preaching. I don’t want to trade Giddey. He’s a building block and I don’t think White is. Look at my posts at the top.
@Jake 13 A free agent CAN be signed-and-traded for another free agent, but it’s a long shot for any of these RFAs due to base year compensation rules.