Chicago Bulls: Bold trade deadline predictions

Robin Lopez has more than served his sentence in a Chicago Bulls uniform.

It’s safe to say that his days are also numbered. We can draw such a simple conclusion to how he wanted to be bought out during their West Coast trip, or how he has constantly been in and out of the rotation (let alone the starting lineup). It’s one of the worst kept secrets that the front office has been trying to move him and his expiring contract.

So what happens with RoLo? Does he get his wish and get to join the Warriors? Or will the Bulls find a suitor in need of frontcourt depth?

It’s actually both. I think he gets his wish and gets to venture off to the Bay Area and play with Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and the like. I think he finally gets a championship ring. But it’s not via trade.

Let’s face facts: in a league that has transitioned to three-point shooting and playing an up-tempo style of basketball, Lopez doesn’t exactly fit the mold. While he has occasionally been good for a three-pointer every so often, he doesn’t add a ton to a championship team.

However, after the Warrior’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, we saw them lose the rebounding battle, 49 (20 of which went to Joel Embiid) to 37. While DeMarcus Cousins is still getting back to basketball strength, there isn’t a ton of depth behind him. Really only Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell are his backups (Damian Jones is out for the year with a torn pectoral). Lopez has been playing in the league for longer than those three combined. His experience, rebounding, and occasional defense would be more than welcome.

But would the Warriors trade for him? Heaven’s no. They can just wait until the deadline passes, and then wait for him to be bought out (assuming the Bulls fail to trade him), which is what I think happens.

RoLo has been a good soldier. Between dealing with everything from the chaotic “Three Alphas” era to whatever is going on right now, he deserves to be set free.

Good thing the Bulls have been accumulating all of the cash considerations from the Houston Rockets over the last month.

Prediction: Buyout; signs with Golden State