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There is a chance the Chicago Bulls would facilitate a Zach LaVine trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to one insider.
This offseason has not even truly begun and the Bulls have already had more than their fair share of rumors. But sometimes, there is so much smoke, that one might assume there has to be a fire somewhere.
We might be approaching that territory.
There have now been at least four separate instances of sources connecting the two organizations this offseason. The Chicago Sun-Times Joe Cowley is the latest, suggesting the Bulls would entertain sending their two-time All-Star to Philly.
Harris and Thybulle as a Package
Cowley makes clear from the very beginning of the article that “all indications” are that the Bulls will extend a full max contract offer to LaVine. He also expects LaVine to re-sign but admits the guard’s desire to be wooed on the open market leaves the door open for an exit.
That is where Cowley thinks the Bulls would continue in their aggressive fashion rather than being caught flat-footed.
If the Bulls get the sense that LaVine wants out, they will take a more defensive approach toward building the team and trade him to the 76ers for a package that includes Matisse Thybulle and Tobias Harris.
Harris posted the highest offensive rating of his career this season, per Cleaning the Glass. And. while his defense took a step back this year, he ranked in the 92nd percentile just a year ago.
He has two years and over $76 million remaining on his deal, per Spotrac.
Thybulle just earned his second All-Defensive nod, beating out several strong candidates including the Bulls’ own Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu. But his offensive struggles and refusal to get vaccinated have his future in Philadelphia in question, writes Liberty Ballers’ Joe DiProsperos.
Still, he is just 25 years old and his career-high 79.1% from the charity stripe instills hope he can get back to (and hopefully, surpass) his 35.7% mark from deep in his rookie season.
Working it Out Publicly
Heavy’s Sean Deveney reported that the Bulls have known interest in Thybulle. A league executive figured the Bulls would look to orchestrate a three-team trade with the 76ers to ship Coby White elsewhere.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks mentioned LaVine in connection with Philadelphia. But that was only briefly as part of a larger discussion about James Harden. Harris was a key detail, though.
CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn also suggested that, because Daryl Morey is “obsessed with the star chase”, he could offer up-and-coming guard Tyrese Maxey in hopes of getting the Bulls to agree to a deal.
This might be the closest thing we get to the call coming from inside the Bulls’ house with Cowley also asking about the need for two-way players during Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arutras Karnisova’s exit interview.
Karnisovas went on to say it was especially hard to find their defensive identity in the second half of the season as they shuffled through different lineup combinations. He also noted the need to improve on the defensive end even with the strong start to the season.
“I think, in order for us to compete, we’ve got to be…top-10 in both offense and defense. So, we’ll try to figure out how to get there.”
He ended his answer by suggesting another year together with improved health would help. But, perhaps, there has been a shift in that line of thinking.
Learning From Others’ Mistakes
We saw the Atlanta Hawks go from the Eastern Conference Finals last season to a first-round out this year. That had their owner, Tony Ressler publicly lamenting their inactivity in the offseason and at the trade deadline.
While that is unlikely to be what happens to Karnisoavas, it is something to keep in mind in light of his stated intent to improve on the margins.
The Bulls could still have to figure out what to do with White to make this deal work. But that could wind up as a formality. There could very well be any number of third teams willing to be a taker in a multi-team deal since he has been named in rumors for some time.
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