Chi-Utah

[pipfan]

Assumption is Bulls are at #11 and Utah does not get a top 2 pick

Utah sends Lauri to Bulls
Utah gets Vuc/PWill, #11, Port pick, 2027 unprotected Bulls' 1st, plus save $

Bulls send Vuc/PWill to Utah, along with #11, Port pick, 2027 unprotected Bulls' 1st and they send Ayo to BRK
Bulls get Lauri

BRK sends #26 to Bulls
BRK gets Ayo

BRK gets a guard to start with Cam Thomas next year-great fit for a young squad (and cheap)

Utah tanks 2026 again (their pick is top 8 protected one more year/great potential top 5 next year) and adds Vuc (maybe moves him to another team), PWill (there's a good player somewhere there) and 3 picks

Bulls go for 50 wins
White/Jones (resign for a 1+1 deal)/JCarter
Giddey/Ball/Terry
Matas/Huerter
Lauri/Phillips
Collins/Smith/Lauri

that's a fun, fast team. Switching Vuc for Lauri helps our D a lot

[eminence]

It's a fair offer, I'd like to see the lotto shake out first (if we won and landed Flagg I prefer keeping Lauri). If we wind up mid lotto I'm fine with the idea, personally I'd prefer a shorter contract than Williams though (Huerter?).

[babyjax13]

I accept. I'd honestly love to see if we could turn this into Chicago's own 2026 and 2028 1sts instead of 11, the 2027 pick, and the Portland pick, but that feels a bit greedy.

[Godaddycurse]

i dont think that bulls team get to 50 wins/HCA

[PurpleGreenGold]

As a Jazz fan, I'd do it. I believe it's their full intention to tank again next year, which would waste another year of Lauri's prime. I'd love to see him succeed somewhere, and the Bulls have the beginnings of a nice nucleus.

[Astaluego]

Can the Bulls improve the offer (2 extra FRP?) and take the Lauri/Kessler combo?

[jayjaysee]

I accept. I'd honestly love to see if we could turn this into Chicago's own 2026 and 2028 1sts instead of 11, the 2027 pick, and the Portland pick, but that feels a bit greedy.

I mean, Chicago should do that if they actually think Giddey/Coby/Matas/Lauri is a core worth building around.

The 11th pick might be Queen? The only position Chicago doesn’t really have a long term starter at.. Or could be used with Collins/Hurrter for “Claxton”… And that gives Chicago a young locked up (outside of Coby..) starting line up..

I really don’t think Chicago should do this and should be tanking next season.

[Godaddycurse]

I accept. I'd honestly love to see if we could turn this into Chicago's own 2026 and 2028 1sts instead of 11, the 2027 pick, and the Portland pick, but that feels a bit greedy.

I mean, Chicago should do that if they actually think Giddey/Coby/Matas/Lauri is a core worth building around.

The 11th pick might be Queen? The only position Chicago doesn’t really have a long term starter at.. Or could be used with Collins/Hurrter for “Claxton”… And that gives Chicago a young locked up (outside of Coby..) starting line up..

I really don’t think Chicago should do this and should be tanking next season.

agree they should tank 1 more year and see if coby/Giddey is for real. Also need to see if Coby is going to re-sign in chicago first

[babyjax13]

Can the Bulls improve the offer (2 extra FRP?) and take the Lauri/Kessler combo?

IMO, no. We have so few clear long term pieces.

[babyjax13]

i dont think that bulls team get to 50 wins/HCA

Same. I think Chicago overperformed pretty significantly this year. Lauri is the second best player on a contender type of player, but he needs to work off ball. I'm not convinced they have enough to offset not having a true first option. I envision 36-42 wins if healthy with significant downside from injury.

[pipfan]

i dont think that bulls team get to 50 wins/HCA

Same. I think Chicago overperformed pretty significantly this year. Lauri is the second best player on a contender type of player, but he needs to work off ball. I'm not convinced they have enough to offset not having a true first option. I envision 36-42 wins if healthy with significant downside from injury.

Bulls are going all in with Giddey/White/Matas. Adding Lauri makes us a very solid team. Not a contender, but Giddey would average 12 assists with those guys around him, if everyone is healthy. Plus, it's a huge lineup and a solid bench of Jones/Huerter/Ball/Smith

The Ayo part is to add a late 1st to take a gamble on someone. Maybe it's not necessary to the deal, since Vuc/PWill might be enough salary to cover Lauri

[ChettheJet]

I don't see how the return of Markkanen makes the Bulls a lot better, not for 2 picks when the Bulls have been suffering through the loss of picks of late. He doesn't dominate the ball like DeRozan and Lavine but while he was with the Bulls he would almost go through mood swings so that he could our in 24 points with ease for a few games them spend the three following in some kind of haze and not be anything. The Bulls are different now, maybe he's outgrown that but I would have to see him.

I don't know if UT feels they need more picks if they ever think they're going to try to contend with what they have now. Vucevic fills a spot fora year then they'd have some cap space. Do they really subscribe to the change of scenery notion that Patrick Williams is somehow being held back with the Bulls and will start to stand out in the next 4 years of his contract? You can rationalize that I doubt Danny Ainge does.

If I'm CHI I'd rather play the hand they've got, resign Giddey and Jones, draft #11, see what kind of progress Buzelis makes. See what Vucevic can bring in a trade, and look at a bench beginning with Huerter, Ball and Williams.

[babyjax13]

I don't see how the return of Markkanen makes the Bulls a lot better, not for 2 picks when the Bulls have been suffering through the loss of picks of late. He doesn't dominate the ball like DeRozan and Lavine but while he was with the Bulls he would almost go through mood swings so that he could our in 24 points with ease for a few games them spend the three following in some kind of haze and not be anything. The Bulls are different now, maybe he's outgrown that but I would have to see him.

I don't know if UT feels they need more picks if they ever think they're going to try to contend with what they have now. Vucevic fills a spot fora year then they'd have some cap space. Do they really subscribe to the change of scenery notion that Patrick Williams is somehow being held back with the Bulls and will start to stand out in the next 4 years of his contract? You can rationalize that I doubt Danny Ainge does.

If I'm CHI I'd rather play the hand they've got, resign Giddey and Jones, draft #11, see what kind of progress Buzelis makes. See what Vucevic can bring in a trade, and look at a bench beginning with Huerter, Ball and Williams.

To be clear for Utah, the filler doesn't matter at all. There is no long term place for Vucevic and Williams sucks, it is only worth it for the picks and I agree w/you -- for Chicago to have sustainable long-term success this is at least one offseason too soon to start trading for good veterans. See if this year was a fluke, run it back. If it was you get a high lottery pick, if it wasn't the worst case is adding one more cost-controlled player in the late lottery.

[Dan Z]

I accept. I'd honestly love to see if we could turn this into Chicago's own 2026 and 2028 1sts instead of 11, the 2027 pick, and the Portland pick, but that feels a bit greedy.

I mean, Chicago should do that if they actually think Giddey/Coby/Matas/Lauri is a core worth building around.

The 11th pick might be Queen? The only position Chicago doesn’t really have a long term starter at.. Or could be used with Collins/Hurrter for “Claxton”… And that gives Chicago a young locked up (outside of Coby..) starting line up..

I really don’t think Chicago should do this and should be tanking next season.

agree they should tank 1 more year and see if coby/Giddey is for real. Also need to see if Coby is going to re-sign in chicago first

The problem is that the front office won't tank (they've basically said as much).

[Dan Z]

I don't see how the return of Markkanen makes the Bulls a lot better, not for 2 picks when the Bulls have been suffering through the loss of picks of late. He doesn't dominate the ball like DeRozan and Lavine but while he was with the Bulls he would almost go through mood swings so that he could our in 24 points with ease for a few games them spend the three following in some kind of haze and not be anything. The Bulls are different now, maybe he's outgrown that but I would have to see him.

I don't know if UT feels they need more picks if they ever think they're going to try to contend with what they have now. Vucevic fills a spot fora year then they'd have some cap space. Do they really subscribe to the change of scenery notion that Patrick Williams is somehow being held back with the Bulls and will start to stand out in the next 4 years of his contract? You can rationalize that I doubt Danny Ainge does.

If I'm CHI I'd rather play the hand they've got, resign Giddey and Jones, draft #11, see what kind of progress Buzelis makes. See what Vucevic can bring in a trade, and look at a bench beginning with Huerter, Ball and Williams.

I'm sure Markkanen has changed since his time on the Bulls. There's a reason why he was an all-star in 2022-23.

If the Bulls want to be a running team next year then I think Markkanen would be a good fit, but is he someone the Bulls should go after...?

[Dan Z]

Assumption is Bulls are at #11 and Utah does not get a top 2 pick

Utah sends Lauri to Bulls
Utah gets Vuc/PWill, #11, Port pick, 2027 unprotected Bulls' 1st, plus save $

Bulls send Vuc/PWill to Utah, along with #11, Port pick, 2027 unprotected Bulls' 1st and they send Ayo to BRK
Bulls get Lauri

BRK sends #26 to Bulls
BRK gets Ayo

BRK gets a guard to start with Cam Thomas next year-great fit for a young squad (and cheap)

Utah tanks 2026 again (their pick is top 8 protected one more year/great potential top 5 next year) and adds Vuc (maybe moves him to another team), PWill (there's a good player somewhere there) and 3 picks

Bulls go for 50 wins
White/Jones (resign for a 1+1 deal)/JCarter
Giddey/Ball/Terry
Matas/Huerter
Lauri/Phillips
Collins/Smith/Lauri

that's a fun, fast team. Switching Vuc for Lauri helps our D a lot

In this scenario where does Utah's pick fall if it's not in the top 2? I think that makes a difference.

Coming into this thread I was surprised at how many people said they'd do this deal. I guess Markkanen's value has gone down this year because of both his play and his new contract...?

I said in a previous reply that I think Markkanen would be a good fit on the Bulls if next year they want to be a running team (like they are this season). Is it worth it to pursue him? I'm not sure. After the Vucevic trade I'm hesitant to say that the Bulls should give up future picks for a player.

[wemby]

On value I don't hate this for the Bulls but, like others, I think Bulls need an injection of top end talent which they lack and I don't think Lauri is enough. If I were them I would have tanked the past couple of seasons, and this one I'd sell high on Coby White before he gets overpaid and his value plummets, and tank next season in a projected strong class. They need top end talent more than they need another play in exit, TBH.

[babyjax13]

Assumption is Bulls are at #11 and Utah does not get a top 2 pick

Utah sends Lauri to Bulls
Utah gets Vuc/PWill, #11, Port pick, 2027 unprotected Bulls' 1st, plus save $

Bulls send Vuc/PWill to Utah, along with #11, Port pick, 2027 unprotected Bulls' 1st and they send Ayo to BRK
Bulls get Lauri

BRK sends #26 to Bulls
BRK gets Ayo

BRK gets a guard to start with Cam Thomas next year-great fit for a young squad (and cheap)

Utah tanks 2026 again (their pick is top 8 protected one more year/great potential top 5 next year) and adds Vuc (maybe moves him to another team), PWill (there's a good player somewhere there) and 3 picks

Bulls go for 50 wins
White/Jones (resign for a 1+1 deal)/JCarter
Giddey/Ball/Terry
Matas/Huerter
Lauri/Phillips
Collins/Smith/Lauri

that's a fun, fast team. Switching Vuc for Lauri helps our D a lot

In this scenario where does Utah's pick fall if it's not in the top 2? I think that makes a difference.

Coming into this thread I was surprised at how many people said they'd do this deal. I guess Markkanen's value has gone down this year because of both his play and his new contract...?

I said in a previous reply that I think Markkanen would be a good fit on the Bulls if next year they want to be a running team (like they are this season). Is it worth it to pursue him? I'm not sure. After the Vucevic trade I'm hesitant to say that the Bulls should give up future picks for a player.

His value likely has decreased for those reasons. I'm pretty confident he can regain form and that 23/9 on 60%+TS without dominating the ball is really valuable, but not as valuable on 50m a year as 17m. Then there is our situation. Our roster is abysmal, there is no way around it. Of all our young players only Kessler and Filipowski have shown they are clearly rotation caliber players. George, Collier, and Hendricks might be. Sensabaugh might be. Williams might be, but he is the furthest away. The timeline they setup with Lauri doesn't make sense and it is time to move him. The same is true of Sexton and Collins if you can get any value for them. I think the ONLY clear keeper on this roster, though, is Kessler. The rest are very replaceable (and he isn't some hyper-elite prospect, just clearly a starting caliber player who is young enough to build with).

I hope to god we get Flagg because if we don't the future is pretty bleak in Utah, at least in the medium-term.

[pipfan]

For the Bulls, they won't tank. Whether they should or not doesn't matter-they won't. I think Lauri is a perfect fit with their White/Giddey/Matas core. He'd get a ton of good looks from Giddey and swapping him for Vuc helps our D a ton.

Maybe take out BRK and keep Ayo-make it JCarter instead, to stay big
White/Ayo
Giddey/Ball
Matas/Huerter
Lauri/Phillips
Collins/Smith
DTerry would be the 11th man. MAYBE the Bulls could squeeze the #22 from Utah in this deal, sending cash and a few 2nds?

That lineup is very solid. For those saying we'd be a 36-42 win team, that's what we are now. Adding Lauri, with our core young and developing, let's us push 50 wins.

As for Utah, let's say they pick 4th and get VJ (who looks exciting). Their young lineup would be
Collier/Springer
VJ/George
CWilliams/Sensabough
PWill/Henricks
Kessler/Flip
Plus the #11 pick, Juzang and Mykhalik
Their expiring vets would be Vuc, Clarkson, Collins, Sexton, JCarter-trade them out for whatever, or buy out/keep them for the year

They go into 2026 with no more picks owed, unlimited cap space, another top 5 pick in a stacked draft and tons of future picks

[meekrab]

Lauri wasn't popular with the Bulls' front office when he was here and he's fallen off since 2023 which was the only year he was worth his new contract, puke and no.

I know the Jazz still think he's basically a taller LeBron James but they can keep him at those rates.