The Chicago Bulls are going to be a team to keep a very close eye on heading into the NBA offseason. After coming up short in the playoffs, the franchise knows that it will need to make more moves to become a serious NBA Finals contender next year. One name to keep a very close eye on for the Bulls as a potential trade target could be Utah Jazz star center Rudy Gobert.
Looking at the current Bulls’ roster, one of the biggest needs that they need to address will be finding interior defense. Gobert is one of the best rim protectors in the league and is a yearly candidate to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
According to a report from The Ringer, the Bulls are interested in trading for Gobert this offseason. Another name that was mentioned was New York Knicks’ restricted free agent Mitchell Robinson.
“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).”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 2 Trade Packages To Send Utah Jazz Star Rudy Gobert To Chicago Bulls
If the Jazz are open to trading Gobert, the Bulls should absolutely make him a priority. He ended the 2021-22 NBA season averaging 15.6 points per game to go along with 14.7 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 1.1 assists per game. Those numbers show why a team like the Bulls would make a ton of sense as a trade partner.
On the other side of things, should they choose to go with Robinson, the Bulls would not be getting quite as much of an impact player. Robinson ended up playing in 72 games and averaged 8.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. Chicago should view him as a Plan B option behind Gobert.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 2 Trade Packages To Send Utah Jazz Star Rudy Gobert To Chicago Bulls
Granted, the Jazz are not going to move Rudy Gobert for a cheap price. If the Bulls opt to make a move for him, they would have to include pieces like Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, and Coby White, or a sign-and-trade involving Zach LaVine. While the price may be steep, acquiring a talent like Gobert would take them a big step closer to contention.
Expect to hear a ton of trade rumors connected to the Bulls this offseason. Gobert may not end up in Chicago, but they certainly would make a lot of sense as a potential destination.
