The offseason outlook for the Chicago Bulls is rather bleak after getting blown out in the play-in tournament by the Miami Heat at home. The team finished with a 39-43 record and seemingly have not been able to get out of the play-in tournament for the past few years. Guys like Josh Giddey and Coby White were tremendous in Chicago’s backcourt this year, but the team was just too inconsistent halfway through the campaign that there end-of-season breakthrough was enough to earn them one final home game.
The front office needs to make a change this offseason and there is a long shot possibility of a franchise-altering move being on the table. The Bulls have not had a true superstar since the prime Derrick Rose days, but that would change if they pulled a move off for a player that they are very familiar with.
The Chicago Bulls could be in play for Giannis Antetokounmpo
There have been rumblings of what Giannis Antetokounmpo’s time post-Milwaukee could look like. While nothing is set in stone that the 2021 NBA Finals MVP would leave the Bucks in the first place, but the idea of it has made it’s rounds through league circles as of late. Howard Beck of HoopsHype wrote about Chicago being a big city that Antetokounmpo could be interested in, despite certain reports saying otherwise.
“I poked around a little bit a few days ago and the initial thing I got from one person was just like some rumblings that it’s already just the big cities: One of the LA teams or one of the New York teams or maybe Miami, not a big market, but a glamour market, mid-size market,” Beck said. “I think they threw Chicago in there. I can’t remember if Houston came up. It should. So first is like where does Giannis want to go and do they honor that? Because again, back to Damian Lillard, you’re not obligated to honor it.”
Antetokounmpo played in 67 games for Milwaukee this past season and posted his usual superstar numbers. The Greek Freak finished the campaign averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game on 60.1% shooting from the field. Despite hitting 30-years-old, there is no doubt that Antetokounmpo can be guy that leads a franchise like the Bulls to glory.
It would take a lot to get Giannis Antetokounmpo to Chicago
Along with paying his salary, the Bulls would have to cough up a lot to bring Antetokounmpo to the Windy City. Guys like White and former rookie standout Matas Buzelis would likely be the starting price that the Bucks would ask for in a trade. This doesn’t include the draft capital that Chicago would have to surrender and any additional active players that Milwaukee might have interest in.
There is a strong possibility that the Bulls would end up in the exact same spot in the standings with Giannis due to all of the assets they would need to give up in a trade. Things could change based on what other free agents they could attract with what little money they would have remaining to spend, but who knows how that would work out.
