The Chicago Bulls are in the midst of an offseason of sweeping changes. These already began with the front office and the coaching staff, and will likely continue with the roster. New GM Bryson Graham is expected to embrace the rebuild that the previous administration has long avoided. He will not leave any stone unturned, which means that everything should be on the table. Every player needs to be available for the right price, except for Matas Buzelis.
Buzelis is the one piece on the roster with true star potential in the future. He should be the untouchable asset that Chicago builds its team around in the future.
Any Bull not named Matas Buzelis should be on the trade block
This isn't to say that the Bulls must trade Josh Giddey, Patrick Williams, or Rob Dillingham at all costs. It's just to say that they should be willing to listen to any offers coming their way this summer.
They will obviously not be holding their breath for an offer for Patrick Williams. Barring a miracle, the Bulls are stuck with Williams for the foreseeable future, as he is under contract for three more seasons.
There could, however, be interested parties for a few rotation players. Tre Jones would be a very solid backup point guard for most playoff teams, and he is on a team-friendly contract. Jalen Smith is a decent backup big, and Isaac Okoro is still a good defender who can make a difference for some teams.
The closest thing to an untouchable other than Buzelis is Noa Essengue. Last year's lottery pick had a lost season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Bulls fans weren't able to see much of him, and he was one of the rawest prospects in his draft class. So, it will be a while before Essengue is a rotation-caliber player in the league.
If anyone is giving up first-round value for Essengue in a trade, the Bulls should seriously consider it. That doesn't seem likely, so it's not something worth thinking seriously about.
Most Bulls fans may consider Josh Giddey an untouchable player as well. While this is understandable, Chicago would be wise to entertain offers for the Australian point guard.
Bulls would be wise to listen to Josh Giddey trade offers
Giddey is only 23 years old and is on a team-friendly deal that will pay him $75 million over the next three seasons. He has had two solid seasons in Chicago, boosting his value around the league. The Bulls would be selling high on him and can get a haul in return for him.
At this point, the Bulls need to be in asset accumulation mode. They have to think of their roster in terms of asset management. If they can get multiple first-round picks for Giddey this summer, wouldn't that be better for their future than having Giddey as a starter on a lottery team for the next two seasons?
When the Bulls are back to being a playoff team, is Giddey really going to be their lead playmaker? He has certainly improved as a scorer and a shooter, but he still has serious limitations in the halfcourt. He has to have the ball in his hands to be effective, but he doesn't generate good enough offense at the highest level to justify giving the ball to him. Plus, he remains a horrendous defender who will always cap your team's ceiling.
If he is not your lead ballhandler, Giddey is not a very valuable player. He is not a good off-ball player or defender, making his fit on a playoff team questionable.
Giddey can certainly put up numbers for Chicago going forward. And if there are no strong offers, the Bulls should be happy to keep him around for longer.
The Bulls can't make the mistake of previous administrations. They can't overvalue their own players and wait too long to trade them. To ensure they get the most value out of their players, they have to be willing to actively listen all summer.
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