The Chicago Bulls defeated the Charlotte Hornets.
They didn’t make the playoffs or even the Play-In Tournament, and their victory came against a decimated Hornets team. They did, however, win with Zach LaVine back in the lineup. He was out for 17 games due to a foot ailment.
Without him, the Bulls went 10-7. They hadn’t won with him in the lineup since November 18, when they defeated the Miami Heat. When he went down, they were on a five-game losing streak. Nonetheless, they are clinging to tenth place in the Eastern Conference rankings. They could still be in for a major reorganization.
“The Nets are aiming to improve their roster around Mikal Bridges … and they need more perimeter scoring punch,” wrote Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report on January 7.
Bulls get:
– Noah Clowney
– Spencer Dinwiddie
– Dorian Finney-Smith
– 2026 second-round pick
– 2028 second-round pick
Nets get:
– Zach LaVine
“The Bulls have yet to signal their willingness for a lengthy rebuild, so they might be open to bringing back plug-and-play pieces like Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie,” Buckley said. “They’d also leave this swap with a few assets for the future in the two second-rounders and Clowney, a 19-year-old who was taken 21st overall last June.”
Nets Trade Package Could Help Bulls
Clowney is a University of Alabama 6-foot-10 power forward.
This season, he has averaged 7.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in just 27 minutes of action with the Nets. Clowney, on the other hand, averaged 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.7 assists in 13 G League Showcase Cup appearances.
In three regular-season games with the Long Island Nets, Clowney has averaged 17.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 1.0 assists while shooting 50% on 2.0 triples.
Up and Over for Noah Clowney 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rK8XICOl9a
— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 4, 2024
Dinwiddie, at 30 years old, maintains averages of 14.0 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds this season. He’s had stints with teams like the Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks after starting with the Windy City Bulls. This is his second time with the Nets, during which he notably had a 15-game period with double-digit assists. He’s currently in the last year of a $54 million, three-year contract.
Meanwhile, Finney-Smith, also 30, is in the midst of a four-year, $55.6 million deal that includes a $15.4 million player option for the final season. His season averages stand at 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, with a strong 41.1% shooting rate from beyond the arc.
Together, Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith account for a combined $109.5 million in contracts. However, a potential trade involving them could save the Bulls nearly $3 million and offer more financial flexibility, especially considering Dinwiddie’s contract is set to expire soon.
Proposal Falls Short of Bulls’ Rumored Asking Price for Zach LaVine
The absence of a first-round choice would be the most significant impediment to this approach. NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson reported on the Bulls’ desired outcomes, both of which included a first-round pick.
“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” Johnson wrote in a June 19 column. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”
Welcome back, Flight 8!@NBCSChicago | @ZachLaVine pic.twitter.com/LTcCFbkIBL
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 6, 2024
The Bulls faced a quiet trade market for the two-time All-Star. Perhaps if they had suffered with LaVine’s return, they would have been obliged to cut their asking price.
However, a front office that has been patient thus far may continue on that course now.
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