Getty Ricky Rubio shoots a layup past Coby White during a February 9 game against the Chicago Bulls.
The 2021 NBA Finals are wrapping up this week, which means that free agency is right around the corner, and the Chicago Bulls are a team to watch come free agency.
Largely because no one outside of Arturas Karnisovas and the front office has any idea what they’re going to do.
After acquiring All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline, the Bulls still failed to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
They can chalk some of it up to bad luck with Zach LaVine being entered into the league’s health and safety protocols for over two weeks, resulting in the guard missing 11 games down the stretch.
Still, there’s no arguing the holes in this Chicago roster as constructed, and the need for serious change this offseason if they’re to break their playoff drought.
One thing that offers the Bulls a potential route at an upgrade is Lauri Markkanen’s restricted free agency.
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Markannen to Minnesota?
When the Chicago Bulls hung onto Lauri Markannen at the trade deadline, it signaled one of two things: that they plan on resigning him this summer, or they feel confident that they can get value back for him in a sign-and-trade.
The latter seems more likely given the state of the team and their win-now mantra going into next season.
Team insider Sam Smith floated 10-year veteran Ricky Rubio as a potential return for the 24-year old in his latest mailbag column at NBA.com:
I’d try to make a sign-and-trade deal with Minnesota for Ricky Rubio, who is out of favor in Minnesota. I liked what I saw of him in the USA game with Spain. He’s hardly the ultimate answer, but he’s certainly a pass first player, which the Bulls need, who can handle pressure and make plays and a good defender.
The 30-year old guard averaged 8.6 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game as starting point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season.
And better for the Bulls, he’s got just one year left on his contract:
I like that because it also allows the Bulls to be patient over the next year as players—point guards—become more available on trade, or because a team drafted someone they like better.
That flexibility that Smith mentions will be huge for Chicago moving forward, given the nature of both Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine’s contracts.
Win-now moves without too many longterm repercussions should be the headline for this Chicago Bulls’ offseason.
With Ricky Rubio, in a sign-and-trade deal for Lauri Markkanen, Arturas Karnisovas and the front office would be accomplishing just that.
Could Derrick Rose Return This Summer?
Smith followed up his praise and trade proposal for Ricky Rubio by citing the possibility of 2011 MVP Derrick Rose returning home to the Windy City.
The 32-year old guard is coming off of a strong finish to the 2020-2021 season with the New York Knicks.
Rose was their leading scorer (19.4 PPG) in the team’s first-round playoff series loss to the Atlanta Hawks just months ago.
As Smith notes, he’s appeared comfortable contributing off the bench, a spot on the roster the Bulls definitely wouldn’t mind upgrading:
So the Bulls get a point guard without having to scrap their roster and depth strength. Then use the taxpayer exception of about $10 million for Derrick Rose. I finally give in, too. Rose has shown he’s not 2011 Derrick Rose, but he is a reliable scorer and closer. He can come off the bench, get in 65 to 70 games to keep him healthy and finish games, if needed.
To land both Rose and Rubio would earn Chicago top marks for offseason activity around the league.
But unfortunately, it’s almost entirely dependent upon Lauri Markkanen’s restricted free agency.
Buckle up Chicago Bulls fans.
Things are bound to see a shake up in the Windy City this summer.