The two future second-round picks the Bulls received for helping to facilitate Sunday’s Cleveland-Sacramento trade could be useful in other deals this week, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes in a subscriber-only story. Cowley reported in December that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas was being very aggressive in trade talks, and a source tells him that approach hasn’t changed as the deadline nears.
Chicago has eight potential free agents this summer, including guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. Cowley hears that Karnisovas is trying to find a taker for White, who’s expected to seek a substantial raise on the open market, but he’s receiving greater interest in Dosunmu and Tre Jones because they’re viewed as more affordable. Jones signed a three-year, $24MM contract last summer. Cowley states that White has been discussed with the Timberwolves and Rockets, and “the door wasn’t completely shut with either team.”
Cowley adds that Karnisovas has contacted the Pelicans in hopes of landing Zion Williamson and/or Yves Missi and has called about Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin as well.
There’s more from Chicago:
- The Bulls are focused on building their roster around Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. Essengue, the 12th pick in last year’s draft, only played two games before being lost for the season with a shoulder injury, but Lorenzi states that the front office still views him as a multi-positional defender and a strong transition threat. He’s seen as the eventual starter at power forward, with Buzelis moving into a wing role. Lorenzi also mentions Missi as a potential trade target, noting that Giddey has never played alongside that type of rim-running center, and he states that the Bulls have indicated to rival teams that they’re willing to help facilitate more trades in exchange for assets.
- Dalen Terry hasn’t been able to establish himself as a rotation player during his four seasons in Chicago and didn’t receive a rookie scale extension before the October deadline. His NBA future might be elsewhere, Cowley relays in a separate story, but that doesn’t mean he’s hoping to be traded by Thursday. “I wouldn’t say that,” Terry said. “I don’t put too much into it. The trade deadline is what it is. You get traded, you get traded. Hopefully it’s to a good place if you do, or hopefully if you don’t, they make a trade, and a good player comes in.”
- Giddey missed his third straight game on Sunday for left hamstring injury management, but he’s not expected to be out of the lineup much longer, Cowley adds. “I think he’s feeling better, but I think it’s going to be, at least in talking to the medical guys, they’re not going to put him out there until they see the tightness is gone,” Donovan said.
Dalon Terry has no business being in the NBA. Noa Essengue reminds me of Tyrus Thomas, all athleticism but no jumper and questionable work ethic.
The fact there isn’t a market for a proven 20 PPG scorer who can hit the 3 shows how horribly AKME overplayed Coby’s worth over the offseason. Fireable to say the least.
Agreed. Coby White is a good role player but nearly good enough to carry a team. Not even close to Donovan Mitchell, SGA or Brunson.
Maybe Essengue can be the same as Obi Toppin when he gets a little older and stronger.
Actively aggressive in trade talks? What’s that mean for an incompetent like Karnisovus? Means he made 1 or 2 phone calls this month? Don’t be stunned if this is the only trade they make. I wouldn’t. And if Patrick Williams isn’t on the way out for Zion then you have two dead weights on the team. One quite literally.
Ty Thomas drop
He was a fantasy hoops darling back n day with those stocks
That Aldridge n Thomas trade was horrible for the Bulls
I quickly remembered the Elton Brand n Tyson Chandler trade
Damm Bulls
Eddy Curry was a disappointment
Coby is really good. It’s playing with Vic that’s limiting his potential. Bulls should’ve seen his underperformance in advance but they think making the play in makes them look good..?
I don’t see it with Coby, he is too sporadic and the gap between his worst and best is grand canyon scale
Bulls shouldnt have completed the trade with Kings and Cleveland yet though…
Maybe they could have avoided waiving Carter and used him for salary matching instead…
Basically fold a few other deals into this one. Maybe even into the Giannis trade…
What was the advantage of not waiting? The risk the other teams came back on their word?
White is a much lesser Carmelo Anthony or a better Cole Anthony. They just aren’t going to help you win games unless they shoot lights out. So maybe help you lose 4 games to win 1.
You should be flogged for mentioning Coby White in the same sentence as Carmelo Anthony. Shame on you. Wash your keyboard out with soap.
Only one of those guys is a Bulls franchise legend and it’s not Coby White lol
Coby White and Patrick Williams might be the two biggest 1st round whiffs in NBA history at 4 and 7. The list of players they could have had instead is too long to mention. Not to mention whiffs on Dalen Terry(18). Which could have brought LaRavia, Kessler,Koloko, Mobley. Julian Phillips at 35. Really didn’t miss much after him. but did forfeit their other 2nd for the Lonzo fiasco. They did hit on Ayo and Buzelis but lost 2 1st round picks for Vujevic. So aggressive? After White they did draft Gafford and promptly traded him away. Aggressively stupid maybe. Anybody who thinks Coby White is a winning basketball player should probably look into rehab. Or maybe a bit of Electro Shock. Just watch him get the ball and run down court 1 on 4 and see him launch a 40 foot 3. That’s when I watch something else.
How many more years Billy and Wes will coach Bulls?10,20,50?Maybe all Bulls fans should freeze themselves and wake up after those two are gone?
They just resigned Billy. They love this mess.
No core No future ….. Coby is a starting guard in this L. If you don’t want or think so. Why is he still here. Williams can easily be a rotation player. If you didn’t think so or want him. Why is he still here ??!!!
Why is this coach here. 219-231 …….. mark of mediocrity …..
2020-21 — 31-41
2021-22 — 46-36
2022-23 — 40-42
2023-24 — 39-43
2024-25 — 39-43
2025-26 — 24-26 ………..
This what we call “The Running of the Bulls”
No we call it” The running of the Bulls-Into the ground”. You skipped the last part.
Jalen Green to Bulls ——
Coby, Collins, future #1 pick to Suns ……
In Rugby league in Australia I’ve seen players who barely register as first graders sign with a quality coach and become representative level. Watching Billy Donavan and the way he has dealt with Buzelis this year is all you need to see to know what happened to PW. Some coaches are career killers and Coby isn’t exactly hitting his potential under Billy either. I See Buzelis becoming a missed opportunity if they don’t clear out Donavan and the rest of the staff.
Buzelis has a future as a three. Just leave him there and let him grow. They blew it with PW. He is also a three. He always tried to make him a 4.