The Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls are two top-tier teams that need to make some significant changes.
In the first half of the season, both clubs legitimately overachieved – only to then come tumbling back down to earth as the year progressed.
The Bulls have a Zach LaVine problem on their hands that needs resolving.
Utah has something similar with Rudy Gobert.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, Chicago is a team that has been linked to a possible Gobert trade.
“Sources have also indicated the Bulls are a team with interest in Gobert (and other centers on the market, including Knicks free agent Mitchell Robinson),” he wrote.
That said – concerns about Gobert as a legitimate foundational piece persist.
“The three-time Defensive Player of the Year will make an average of $42.4 million over the next four seasons, and despite his accolades he has plenty of skeptics around the league who view him as an expensive offensive liability,” O’Connor wrote.
“The argument executives often have made is that committing so much money to a defender who lacks creation skills is limiting from a team-building perspective. Gobert gets paid like a megastar but no matter how great he is on defense, he can never match the impact of other stars despite being paid around the same.”
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report also confirmed that there was something to these rumors. He also provided some context regarding what it would take to land Gobert in Chicago.
“Any deal that lands Gobert with the Bulls would almost certainly include Nikola Vucevic, the two-time All-Star center Chicago obtained from the Orlando Magic prior to the 2021 trade deadline,” he wrote.
“Vucevic’s contract will expire at the end of the 2022-23 season, and with Zach LaVine set for a lucrative free agency, Bulls brass has been considering their options at center since February’s trade deadline, sources said.”
It will be interesting to see how this story progresses. Although a trade here would make a lot of sense for both clubs, other intrigued parties exist.
There are currently four other squads interested in making something happen for LaVine. If something materializes on that end, it could effect a possible Gobert-for-Vucevic swap.
Along the same lines – two other teams have legitimate interest in adding Gobert this summer. If the Bulls want to make something happen, they’ll need to work for it.
Aaron Rodgers is on to the next. https://t.co/UIfD8E2oUt
— Game 7 (@game7__) June 8, 2022
How will this entire situation ultimately sort itself out?
Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
