Does this trade make sense for the Chicago Bulls?
Moving Lauri Markkanen in a sign-and-trade is highly advantageous to the Chicago Bulls if they are unable to bring him back on a one-year, small contract because they will be given options by trading him.
Not only is Taurean Prince a really solid role player for them to add to their second-unit, but they would be getting Minnesota’s 2023 first-round pick (Top-10 protected).
This draft pick would make up for their lack of a first-round pick in 2023 as a result of the Nikola Vucevic trade and it would also give them more draft capital to make up for trading a future first-round pick to the Spurs for DeRozan.
Right now, the Bulls are invested in the assets they acquired this offseason and they will not have any room to build a young core through the draft. Getting this extra first-round pick could be necessary for them to play around with in the future, especially since things could end up going wrong and they would be left with no draft picks moving forward.
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Whether they would keep him or look to move him yet again, Taurean Prince is an asset that makes sense for the Bulls given his skillset and the fact that he is on a tradeable, $13M contract for the 2021-22 season. Trading Markkanen to the Minnesota Timberwolves is a move that makes sense for the Bulls and the assets they get back in this deal are definitely valuable for Chicago.
