The Chicago Bulls practiced what they have preached over the last several seasons when it comes to trades: they will not make a trade simply for the sake of doing so.
That logic has mostly been applied to their handling of Zach LaVine. His camp was in agreement with the Bulls on finding a new home before he underwent season-ending foot surgery. LaVine’s trade market was quiet before that though.
But the Bulls put their words into action with fellow two-time All-Star, Andre Drummond.
“The 76ers believed they had a trade done to acquire Bulls center Andre Drummond before Chicago pulled out of talks hours before the deadline,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto wrote in his lates batch of intel on February 16. “The Bulls wanted three second-round picks for Drummond, league sources said.”
Scotto points to the Brooklyn Nets’ trade of Royce O’Neale for the same package for comparison.
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Drummond, 29, is in the final year of a two-year, $6.6 million contract. He almost opted out of his contract to join the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason, per The Stein Line’s Marc Stein in June 2023.
He’s also a far more accomplished player than O’Neale, putting production behind his belief he is a starter. He is averaging 13.8 points and 17 rebounds per game in his nine starts this season.
Drummond spent 49 games with the Sixers in 2021-22 and remembers it fondly.
6 Teams Showed Interest in Potential Trade for Bulls’ Andre Drummond
“Drummond was considered Chicago’s top trade candidate ahead of the deadline and also drew trade offers from the Celtics and Mavericks before both organizations went in other directions, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote. “Other teams who expressed interest in trading for Drummond included the Lakers, Suns, and Rockets, sources said.”
Dallas acquired former Bulls big man Daniel Gafford from the Washington Wizards for one-time Bulls trade target Richaun Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick via the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Boston acquired Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies.
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The Lakers are another one of Drummond’s former teams. He spent 21 games with them alongside current Bulls guard Alex Caruso in 2020-21. The Lakers stood pat at the deadline, opting to sign former Bull Spencer Dinwiddie as a free agent.
Houston traded for Steven Adams from the Grizzlies on February 2, but he is out for the season with a PCL sprain. They still did not make a move for Drummond.
The Suns added O’Neale and undersized Grizzlies forward David Roddy instead of a center.
Bulls Could Lose All-Star Duo This Offseason
Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has touted his belief in this current group. They are 26-29 on the season and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings, going 5-5 over their last 10 games heading into the All-Star break.
They could need a strong finish to the season to convince Drummond and fellow pending free agent DeMar DeRozan to return next season.
Drummond’s previous wandering eye and inconsistent role in Chicago could be ominous.
DeRozan has maintained he wants to return, so long as it makes sense for both sides. Bulls brass has similarly expressed an interest in bringing the six-time All-Star back on a new contract. He is in the final year of a three-year, $81.9 million contract.
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Bulls ‘Pulled Out’ of Trade Talks Over 2-Time All-Star at Deadline: Report