Getty Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams defends Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With the Chicago Bulls sitting three games below .500 with 37 regular-season games left to play, the team is in a battle to secure its second-straight postseason berth. And whether the front office wants to go all-in on maximizing its playoff potential or pivot toward some level of rebuilding, roster changes are probably in order.
Otherwise, the Bulls may find themselves stuck on the treadmill of mediocrity (their recent progress notwithstanding).
In either case, the power-forward spot makes sense as an area to target. During the preseason, Billy Donovan messed around with Patrick Williams, Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr. in the frontcourt. And while the blue-chipper Williams ultimately won out, uncertainty about his development and the position has lingered.
With that in mind, we’re pitching a trade for a talented young big who could play a significant role in either a win-now scenario or a retooling; one that would also add a high-level floor-spacer to the roster.
Bulls Acquire Jarred Vanderbilt & Kelly Olynyk in Proposed Trade
According to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, the Utah Jazz are open for business. Rising star/former Bull Lauri Markkanen and rookie big man Walker Kessler look to be safe; beyond that, though, the Jazz are said to be taking offers for almost everyone on their roster. With that being the case, we’re proposing the following trade:
- Utah Jazz receive F Patrick Williams and G Coby White
- Chicago Bulls receive F Jarred Vanderbilt and F/C Kelly Olynyk
Three years into his pro career, Williams’ ceiling remains hard to pin down, which isn’t a good thing regardless of which timeline Chicago decides to commit to. Vanderbilt, however, is already a known quantity. His energetic style, boarding ability and penchant for hustle plays, combined with a burgeoning offensive game, were factors in getting the T-Wolves to the playoffs last season.
And at just 23, he still has plenty of upside, too.
It’s not difficult to envision him stepping in as the starting four and boosting Chicago’s defense. Meanwhile, the cap on his offensive game may be lower in the long-term than that of Williams but, right now, he doesn’t represent a huge drop-off from the former No. 4 overall pick.
As for Olynyk, he’s a much-needed floor stretcher who could start or come off the bench as a four or a five. He could step in for Nikola Vucevic if the Bulls look to move him at the deadline or he could give the team some real depth and a different look behind him.
Utah Is Trying to Build Toward a Better Future
The Jazz have clearly set a high price for Vanderbilt, who’s looking like one of the belles of the trade-deadline ball. He’s already been linked to the Atlanta Hawks in John Collins-centric deals and his name is popping up in hypothetical trades all over the hoops blogosphere.
Nevertheless, Williams is a player who could be appealing to the Jazz given his relative upside, rookie-scale deal and better fit alongside the non-shooting Kessler. The Bulls forward may not have a ton of gravity as a three-point marksman right now, but he’s a touch better than Vanderbilt and more rounded offensively overall.
White, meanwhile, is another former lotto guy and upside play who could become a valuable long-term piece in the event that the Jazz move Mike Conley and/or Jordan Clarkson. And the Jazz could probably lock him up at a pretty affordable rate after his role and minutes crashed in the Windy City.
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Bulls Trade Proposal Swaps Pat Williams for Rising Big Man, Deadline Darling