On paper, trading Rob Dillingham made perfect sense. He's not necessarily athletic or a good fit for Bryson Graham's 'SLAP' philosophy, and while the upside is evident, the new-look Chicago Bulls probably had different plans for the point guard position.
They've also added one of the best shooters in the game in Buddy Hield, who they can always flip if things get tough or he's not getting as many touches as they initially envisioned. Again, that makes sense to a degree.
However, the Bulls are now extremely thin at point guard, and with multiple teams potentially looking to make a run at Tre Jones, they may no longer be willing to trade Josh Giddey, their most valuable trade asset.
The Bulls are in a complicated situation with Josh Giddey
There's a case to be made for and against trading Giddey.
On the one hand, he's still young, so he technically fits the team's timeline, and he has played well enough to not only justify his salary but also make the team feel like he's a legitimate part of their future.
On the other hand, he might also be closer to a finished product. This is probably as good as he'll ever get, and while that's not necessarily bad, perhaps he'd be more valuable to a rebuilding team as a trade chip than on the floor. He might be young and all, but he's a proven veteran in the league, and he may not be happy with spending his prime years on a rebuilding outfit.
Of course, that doesn't mean the Bulls should build their roster as if every player is expendable, but in this particular scenario, all players not named Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson can probably be had at the right price.
So, with Dillingham gone, the Bulls would probably have to choose between moving Jones, who's also a solid player but would bring a lesser return, or try to get strong value for Giddey, who's the better player and might entice multiple teams. It's a bit of a slippery slope.
Granted, this team isn't meant to compete any time soon, so they might not bat an eye at the thought of having any of the young players running the point to improve their court vision and playmaking, regardless of the final score.
But as positive as this trade may have been, it feels like they may have jumped the gun with this one. And unless they intend to flip Hield for younger players or draft capital, it may not have been the best way to maximize Dillingham's value.
| More Bulls on DaWindyCity |
Add us as a preferred source on Google