The Chicago Bulls have been on an upward trend over the last month-plus.
They are holding on to the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Their recent success — 13-7 in their last 20 games — could see them change course a bit on their trade plans.
“The Bulls, Rockets and Knicks have expressed interest in AJ Griffin, who has fallen out of the rotation under [Atlatnta Hawks head coach] Quin Snyder this season,” wrote Matt Moore of Action Network on January 10.
Griffin was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 draft.
He burst onto the scene, showcasing his marksmanship with a 39% mark on 3.6 attempts per game. This season, though, he has appeared in 13 of the Hawks’ 36 contests. And he is shooting 32.1% from downtown.
Griffin first saw his role fluctuate following Snyder’s arrival after the All-Star break.
The 6-foot-6 former Duke Blue Devil went from over 20 minutes per game to 16 MPG with the change from former Hawks head coach Nate McMillan.
Snyder removed Griffin from the rotation entirely during the postseason last year. And this season, the second-year wing has come off the bench behind the likes of veteran reserve Garrison Mathews and 37-year-old Wesley Matthews.
Griffin isn’t the only Hawks guard the Bulls have shown interest in.
Bulls ‘Inquired’ About Hawks’ Dejounte Murray
“The Bulls have also inquired about [Dejounte] Murray,” wrote Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports on January 11. “Those talks never gained much traction with the Hawks, sources said.”
Murray, 27, has been a hot name on the trade block over the last few weeks. The Hawks are expected to “begin escalating” trade talks around the one-time All-Star, per Shams Charania of The Atheltic on January 10.
Zach LaVine, likewise, has been on the trade block since this past offseason.
The Bulls have maintained a high enough asking price to keep any potential suitors at bay amid concerns over LaVine’s health, contract, and playing style.
Both players happen to be Klutch Sports Group clients, which could work both ways in terms of reaching a deal. There are other Klutch clients on both rosters, potentially easing concerns that could exist about swapping the two for one another, though reaching a deal could prove difficult.
The issue with trading LaVine to the Hawks is that Atlanta would have to add more to meet the salary-matching requirements.
LaVine is in the second year of a five-year, $215 million contract with a $40 million salary this season. Murray is wrapping up a four-year, $64 million pact, with a salary of $17.7 million this season.
The Hawks would have to add salary – Patty Mills would get them there – to get something done by this year’s trade deadline
That could have been why those talks never gained much traction from the Atlanta side.
The two sides can revisit those talks in the offseason. and neither is rumored to be in any hurry to make a deal that could backfire.
Proposed Bulls Trade Satisfies ‘Interest’
If the Bulls and Hawks want to make a trade, perhaps they swap Griffin and the No. 18 overall pick of that same draft class, Dalen Terry. This hypothetical scenario would see them do just that with no additional assets needed.
Bulls get:
– AJ Griffin
Hawks get:
– Dalen Terry
Terry is averaging 2.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 23 appearances this season.
He has nearly doubled his minutes per game and played in 15 fewer contests than he did all of last season.
This would be a swap of needed skillsets. The Bulls would bring in additional three-point shooting to satisfy their need, while the Hawks would add a long, active (albeit raw) perimeter defender and tertiary playmaker in Terry.
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Bulls ‘Expressed Interest’ in Trade for Sweet-Shooting Former Top-20 Pick