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The Chicago Bulls could be active during the NBA Draft as one of their veterans is drawing interest from other teams.
The Bulls Could Dangle Tomas Satoransky for a Draft-Day Trade
Bulls guard Tomas Satoransky, who is currently starring for the Czech Republic in the Tokyo Olympics, is reportedly a hot commodity in trade talks.
With the NBA Draft taking place on Thursday night, Satoransky could be a key trade piece if the Bulls decide to make some roster changes.
Adrian Wojnarowski Says “Very Good Teams” Are Interested in Sato
Size, ball-handling and shooting make Satoransky a potentially valuable piece on a contender.
Perhaps that’s why ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said this in a recent video:
“There’s a lot of interest in him, and I think especially very good teams see him as a guy who can just fit in and play a role.”
Imagine Sato playing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers or even the Brooklyn Nets.
His motor and collection of skills would allow him to play an integral role off the bench for a team with championship aspirations.
The Bulls are in a different place and Satoransky might not be a great fit.
Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports described the scenario where the Bulls might be willing to give up Satoransky for draft assets or cap relief.
If the Bulls don’t see Satoranský as part of their future, other teams being interested in trading for the veteran guard would surely be music to their ears. Dealing him before the draft or free-agency window would allow the Bulls to potentially recoup value for him instead of waiving him for nothing — or, at the very least, attempt to pawn off his full $10 million salary instead of just half of it. But what’s interesting about this report is that Wojnarowski doesn’t specifically say whether interest in Satoranský around the league is trade or signing-based. If the Bulls do end up waiving Satoranský in a cap-space-clearing move, other teams could simply wait until he hits the open market, then pursue him as an outright free agent. Satoranský signed with the Bulls in the summer of 2019 and has been a capable rotation guard since. In 2019-20, he started 64 of the team’s 65 games, averaging 9.9 points and 5.4 assists. In 2020-21, he overcame two stints in COVID-19 protocol to appear in 58 games (starting 18) and averaged 7.7 points and 4.7 assists in just 22.5 minutes per game. But, while steady in the right role, the Bulls now clearly have their sights set on a bigger upgrade than Satoranský can provide by himself at the starting lead guard spot. It makes sense that his positional size and playmaking have appeal for other teams, and come August, there will be more clarity on his future.
One way or another, the Bulls roster will look much different in 2021, and that might mean Satoransky has played his last game as a Bull.