The Chicago Bulls were rumored to be interested in taking on Bradley Beal’s contract as a third team in a deal involving the Suns and the Miami Heat on Monday. Beal’s massive contract will be tough for the Suns to unload onto another organization, but they might just have enough assets to pull it off.
The main reason why Beal has come up in trade discussions for the Suns is the news of Jimmy Butler wanting out of Miami. The Butler saga has certainly been an interesting one to follow, as the Heat have suspended the former Bull multiple times this season. Butler will eventually get out of south Florida, it’s just a matter of when rather than if.
Beal’s contract is a logical one to move in order to make the money work for Butler to join the Suns. Butler has expressed his interest in being apart of the organization and he would slot right into Beal’s spot in the lineup. However, it appears that Beal will make things difficult for the Suns to move him based on the stipulations in his contract.
The Chicago Bulls are unlikely to acquire Bradley Beal
According to NBA reporter Brian Windhorst, two things are going against the Suns in their effort to move the veteran guard, and they have been trying to do so for weeks.
“Obviously, the Phoenix Suns have tried to get this done for weeks,” Windhorst said. They have tried three, four, five-team machinations. They have not been able to overcome the fact that what they’ve really got to trade is Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause and not a very big market.
Beal’s lack of a strong market is largely in part to the $50 million per year price tag that comes with him. The no-trade clause would likely prevent Beal from going to a team with a losing record, like the Bulls. Chicago has a 20-27 record at the moment and sit with the last play-in tournament spot in the Eastern Conference.
Another report indicates that Beal won’t be considering the Bulls due to their record and the city of Chicago.
“Beal is not willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Bulls,” says Fred Katz. “And, well, that makes sense. Why would any player choose to go from a win-now team in a warm city to a rebuilding team in a cold city?”
Unfortunately for the Bulls, there is not much they can do with Chicago being a cold city. In reality, they probably dodged a bullet by not bringing in Beal. With the Bulls potentially ripping the roster down entire for a full rebuild, he wouldn’t really help that initiative by taking away minutes from younger players.
The deadline blueprint should remain the same for the Chicago Bulls
Despite Beal not coming to Chicago, the plan for the trade deadline remains as clear as ever for the Bulls. Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball should be on the block and ready to be moved without hesitation. LaVine and Vucevic are playing at a high level and their value may never be better for Chicago. Ball is back from a knee injury that nearly ended his career and could provide solid guard depth to a contender.
The Bulls front office is finally in the right head space by acknowledging the fact that it is time for change. After being stuck in the middle of the pack for the last several years, tearing the roster down is the only way for things to be better down the road. Regardless of who the Bulls get in return at the deadline for these veterans, the plan moving forward should not be altered.
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