The Chicago Bulls, the most dependable play-in spot in the eastern conference, started off hot this season. At one point sitting atop the east there was a brief moment where it looked like perhaps head coach Billy Donovan’s young core were turning a corner with a 6-1 start to the season. Now the team is 9-10, perched in familiar tenth. And according to ESPN’s Jamal Collier, team leadership has gone back to the drawing board to evaluate how they can take the next step. Those discussions have included the possibility of trading for Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis.
The idea itself is not new. As soon as the reality in Dallas was acknowledged, Nico Harrison was fired, and Davis was forced by team ownership to take extra time to rehab his most recent injury, trade machine ideas of Davis returning to his hometown of Chicago began rumbling. But any sourced reporting on those conversations is a revelation, as Collier indicates the team believes Davis could help shore up their rim protection and interior defense. The Bulls as an organization have been adept at moves just like this — both valuing players from the city (Collier points out there are currently several Chicago natives on the team), and making aggressive moves that don’t fully add up to the timeline their roster is on.
Which is why Davis makes so much sense there, and perhaps why this could also prove a challenge:
“Team sources said the Bulls will not sacrifice any of their young core to execute such a deal until the team is closer to contention.
“I don’t think going out and chasing X megastar is the way to proceed — at least today,” one source told ESPN.“
It will still take some time to better understand the appetite of Dallas’ front office to trade Davis. It is possible they overvalue Davis’ market and would want several picks and young players in return. But if they want to truly rip the bandaid off and begin building around Cooper Flagg in earnest, they will need to consider all avenues to accomplish this. They aren’t on a ticking clock yet, with the December 15 date still two weeks away (when most players across the league become trade eligible), and the deadline much further. This is mainly worth noting as “step one” in a possible trade for Davis. And eyes should stay close to the sourced messaging coming out of Chicago in particular.
