The Chicago Bulls have been connected to Rudy Gobert ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft but will the trade actually happen?
Rudy Gobert’s name has been linked to the Chicago Bulls for quite some time now. This connection was born out of the Bulls’ need to strengthen their frontcourt and rumors that Gobert is unhappy with the Utah Jazz. The idea of Gobert being traded to the Bulls seems more and more like a real possibility every day. Although the Bulls are rumored to be interested in players like John Collins and Mitchell Robinson, Gobert is likely their first target.
This quote from Matt Moore makes a Bulls and Jazz trade sound almost more likely than not.
“Kind of the expectation around the league at this point is that Rudy Gobert is going to go to Chicago. That’s what I heard.”
– @HPbasketball on @lockedonnuggets— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) June 20, 2022
If Rudy Gobert is no longer on the Utah Jazz at the beginning of next season, it’s likely because he has been traded to Chicago. Such a trade would likely send Nikola Vucevic and other assets to the Utah Jazz. The most talked-about trade chip in the Bulls’ possession is the 20-year-old, Patrick Williams. It will be interesting to see if the Bulls have any intention of parting with him. The Bulls will likely need to give up several pieces in order to land Gobert.
Marc Stein’s quote further emphasizes that Chicago is the most likely landing spot for Rudy Gobert.
"I'm not sure if Rudy Gobert is getting traded but I think most people would say Chicago at this point is the closest thing there is to a likely destination."
– @TheSteinLine on Spotify Live— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) June 20, 2022
Potential trade packages for Rudy Gobert will likely include some combination of Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Troy Brown, and the 18th overall pick. The Bulls were reluctant to trade Patrick Williams at last season’s trade deadline. That leads me to believe that the Bulls will take the same stance this offseason.
With the NBA Draft taking place this week, it is likely that the Bulls will make a move in the very near future. Between Ayo Dosumnu’s pleasant overachievement and Arturas Karnisovas’s track record of finding talent late in the draft, I could definitely see the Bulls parting ways with this year’s first-round pick.
It will be interesting to see how the Bulls navigate the days leading up to the draft and the rest of this offseason.
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