Bulls active as NBA Draft nears

Bulls active as NBA Draft nears originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich

Less than a week remains until the two-day NBA Draft begins on Wednesday. Do you know where the Chicago Bulls are?

All over the place seems to be the prevailing sentiment from several rival executives—and that should be a good thing for some weary Bulls fans.

This isn’t to suggest a lack of focus from a management group that, for the first time in April, admitted “this group hasn’t worked.” It’s more an example of how broadly Artūras Karnišovas and his staff are approaching an offseason where changes must be made to a franchise that has failed to make the playoffs in two straight seasons.

“Everything is on the table,” Karnišovas said in April.

It’s why there has been talk of the Bulls both trying to move up and back in next week’s draft, where they currently own the 11th pick. And, yes, staying put and letting the top remaining player on their board from a wildly disparate draft be their pick is also an option.

It’s why Zach LaVine’s future isn’t the only trade scenario that has been discussed, even if sources said Karnišovas has floated as many as 15 proposals centered on the two-time All-Star guard to various teams including the Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.

It doesn’t take a capologist to figure out the Bulls can’t add a first-round pick and re-sign DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams—both of which Karnišovas has said he wants to do—without entering the luxury tax unless an extremely advantageous salary cap trade of LaVine occurs.

It’s why the futures of those two players plus Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball will be in the headlines this offseason.

The Bulls have until June 30 at 5 p.m. Central to sign DeRozan to a new contract or else he enters unrestricted free agency. While both sides have publicly stated the desire for the relationship to continue, the Bulls have largely focused on shorter-term deals.

As for Williams, even with widespread speculation that the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets may show…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bulls-active-nba-draft-nears-150127882.html

Author : NBC Sports Chicago

Publish date : 2024-06-20 15:01:27

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