The NBA offseason is officially underway, with the free agency market open as of Monday night, and the Chicago Bulls have been one of the league’s most active teams.
Following their trade deadline acquisition of All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic, front office lead Arturas Karnisovas assured fans that they were not done reshaping the roster.
Just over four months later, he’s made good on his word, and the Bulls look primed for the playoffs in 2021-2022.
And yet even still, they’ve still got a few remaining moves up their sleeves.
Danny Green to Chicago?
In the latest whirlwind of rumors, the Chicago Bulls are being tied to three-time NBA champion Danny Green.
Co-host of the Inside the Green Room podcast Harrison Sanford reported on Tuesday that the 12-year veteran is fielding interest from a wide range of teams:
Danny Green has spoken with the Sixers over the past 24 hours multiple times. The sides are nowhere close to a deal.
Representatives from Milwaukee, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans are among some of the team that have reached out.
Green averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game last year with the Philadelphia 76ers.
He was one of just seven players last year over the age of 30 to knock down 40% of their three-pointers (minimum 300 three-pointers attempted), per Stathead.
The 34-year old has won three championships with three different teams (Los Angeles, San Antonio, Toronto), and that kind of experience would prove invaluable on this largely inexperienced Chicago Bulls team.
Green would likely fit right into Garrett Temple’s role, with the veteran wing going to the New Orleans Pelicans as a part of the Lonzo Ball deal. He averaged 7.6 points off the bench last season.
Danny Green has only ever missed the playoffs once, and that was his rookie season in 2010. With the Chicago Bulls focused on getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2017, there are far worse names to target.
Day One, Free Agency Recap
Chicago started things off with one of the more anticipated roster moves in the team’s recent history: acquiring point guard Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans in a sign-and-trade deal.
Karnisovas and company have had their eyes set on the former second overall pick for what feels like the last year.
And finally, well, they got him. The Athletic’s Shams Charania was first with reports of the finalized deal:
The Chicago Bulls are sending Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a second-round pick to New Orleans for Lonzo Ball, who’s signing a four-year, $85M contract, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Ball averaged 14.6 points, 5.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game last season in New Orleans.
Chicago needed a point guard, and they needed defense. In Ball, they get both.
But the Bulls didn’t stop there, not even in the point guard realm of things.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso is coming to the Windy City on a four-year deal worth $37-million.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was first with reports:
Free agent guard Alex Caruso has agreed to a four-year, $37M deal with the Chicago Bulls, his agent Greg Lawrence of @Wasserman tells ESPN.
Caruso, a member of the 2020 championship team, averaged 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 58 games for the Lakers last season.
He’ll bring a continued defensive presence in the backcourt, something they can’t possibly get enough of right now.
As far as what’s next, it appears the Bulls have their foot on the gas, with reports that Arturas Karnisovas and the front office are attempting to land four-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan.
Don’t turn away just yet Chicago Bulls fans.
This offseason may have only gotten started for your favorite team in the Windy City.
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Chicago Bulls Have Reached Out to 3x NBA Champ: Report