Chicago Bulls: A rather complex trade primer
The injuries to the frontcourt are what have killed the Bulls over the last month or so, as teams have pummeled their reserves in the paint.
While Wendell Carter Jr. is looking likely to return to the team after the All-Star break, Lauri Markkanen will remain sidelined with what was deemed a stress reaction in his right pelvis. Who knows how long he’ll remain sidelined, but what we do know is that Thaddeus Young has been soaking up plenty of minutes in his absence.
This season hasn’t been too great to Young, as he pretty much was miscast as a three-point gunner for Boylen’s “offense” when the guy has made his bread being one of the best scorers at the rim in the league for quite some time. His three-point attempts per game over the last five seasons are as follows:
- 2015-16: 0.4
- 2016-17: 1.6
- 2017-18: 2.2
- 2018-19: 1.8
- 2019-20: 3.3
One of these things is not like the other
We do know that Young is a target of at least one legitimate contender in the Clippers, which is a good landing spot for him. Having another quality veteran who can play both forward spots, defend multiple positions, and is on a very team-friendly contract would be a boon for the Clips.
A deal like this would be very doable, but the catch is that if the Bulls deal Young, they better hope whoever they get back can contribute immediately because there would be a Markkanen/Young-sized hole in the lineup. Chandler Hutchison has been playing decent for the most part over the last week or so and since he’s finally healthy. But if he can’t sustain his efforts, it would be irresponsible to move an established vet trying to keep the ship afloat when you promised playoffs.
Prediction: The Clippers offer a first-round pick and Moe Harkless for Young. GarPax cave in and agree to make the move as even they realize that Young does not fit with the team’s window and that the playoffs are a toss-up at this point.