What is the Bulls front office doing? McDermott, Lopez? Okafor?....Butler?

[csfansince60s]

The Bulls front office is a complete enigma to me. The Thibs, Rondo and Wade decisions, coaches suspected by the players of spying?!?!?!?!

So trying to figure them out is beyond me.

The latest is about the availability of Robin Lopez and Doug McDermott.

From Michael Scotto at Basketball Insiders:

he Chicago Bulls are exploring the trade market in search of a first-round draft pick in exchange for either center Robin Lopez or forward Doug McDermott, league sources told Basketball Insiders.

Chicago has its own 2017 first-round pick and is also owed Sacramento’s 2017 first-round pick. However, Sacramento’s pick is top-10 protected. Chicago is currently tied for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference standings with the Detroit Pistons with a 26-29 record.

Lopez, 28, was acquired by the Bulls in the offseason along with Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon in exchange for Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday and a 2017 second round draft pick going to the New York Knicks.

Lopez is averaging 9.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game for the Bulls. Lopez is owed $28.2 million over the next two seasons.

McDermott, 25, was selected 11th overall by Chicago in 2014. McDermott has proven to be a capable bench scorer averaging 9.9 points per game this season while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc in his career.

McDermott is owed $3.3 million next season and then has a $4.5 million qualifying offer for the following season when he can become a restricted free agent.

Chicago remains interested in acquiring Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor. It’s unclear at this time if exploring the trade market for a first-round pick in exchange for either Lopez or McDermott is related to the Okafor trade talks.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/chicago-bulls-exploring-trade-market/

What does this mean about the direction of this team? If Lopez (I think their only center) is up for grabs, that's got to mean Okafor right? And if it is Okafor, are they going younger and blowing it up, especially if it's their 3rd first round pick that they're trying to acquire for this year.

Will Butler be part of their rebuild or get them more pieces for it?

Giving up on McDermott seems weird too, but hey, they must have a plan?!!!........right?

Stay tuned.

[celticsclay]

Remains a big mystery. A lot of weird narratives this year approaching the deadline. Also do they keep Rondo? He has been playing better than MCW and Grant lately but they keep starting those other guys. Just a mess.

[Denis998]

I think at the beginning of last off season they were going in the right direction for the team, towards a tank. They had just let go off Noah, and traded Drose for Lopez. From that point I would have thought the plan was to tank, but I think the owners got involved and signed Rondo and Wade to squeeze the last amounts of profit that the team could before going for a full out tank. Signing Rondo and Wade set this team back like an additional 3-5 years for a proper rebuild.

[celticsclay]

I think at the beginning of last off season they were going in the right direction for the team, towards a tank. They had just let go off Noah, and traded Drose for Lopez. From that point I would have thought the plan was to tank, but I think the owners got involved and signed Rondo and Wade to squeeze the last amounts of profit that the team could before going for a full out tank. Signing Rondo and Wade set this team back like an additional 3-5 years for a proper rebuild.

How do you figure? Rondo was basically a one year deal at pretty middling money. Wade could be moved if they want to for a small asset. Maybe that changes them this year from getting a pick at like 18 instead of 8, but it is hard to argue these short term contracts and deals set them back for 5 years. They weren't going to be the Nets even if they didn't sign Rondo or Wade.

[Quetzalcoatl]

McDermott is like their second best player right now and they're going to give him up for peanuts?  They're horribly underplaying him right now, their first step should be to give him more minutes not trade him.  I can't believe I'm saying that either, I thought he was going to be a stiff.

[nickagneta]

I think at the beginning of last off season they were going in the right direction for the team, towards a tank. They had just let go off Noah, and traded Drose for Lopez. From that point I would have thought the plan was to tank, but I think the owners got involved and signed Rondo and Wade to squeeze the last amounts of profit that the team could before going for a full out tank. Signing Rondo and Wade set this team back like an additional 3-5 years for a proper rebuild.

Wade is most likely to opt out of his last year after this year. Rondo can be let go at a cap hit of $3 million for 2017-18. Signing Wade and Rondo probably cost the Bulls 8-10 spots lower in this year's draft and I guess one year in a total tank rebuild. It will not have cost them 3 to 5 years

[byennie]

McDermott is like their second best player right now and they're going to give him up for peanuts?  They're horribly underplaying him right now, their first step should be to give him more minutes not trade him.  I can't believe I'm saying that either, I thought he was going to be a stiff.

He is a stiff. Not that it's crazy to showcase him, but he's a completely one dimensional scorer average 10 points on 44% shooting with bad rebounding, zero passing, zero defense. He belongs on a deep bench hoisting 3s.

[mctyson]

McDermott is like their second best player right now and they're going to give him up for peanuts?  They're horribly underplaying him right now, their first step should be to give him more minutes not trade him.  I can't believe I'm saying that either, I thought he was going to be a stiff.

I don't think there is a team in the entire league that would give up a 1st rounder for him.

[RJ87]

I'd take a hard look at Lopez. Good defensive big that'll battle on the boards and do the little things. Has a respectable midrange jumper. Don't know if we'd want to commit to 2 more years of him though.

I'd also sniff around for Taj Gibson. He's expiring and I highly doubt he'd resign if they're interested.

[trickybilly]

To be fair, and LB33 would back me here, what is every team doing that isn't Cleveland, GSW, Philly, Minny, us, and maybe Milwaukee.

If you're not first you're last

[celticsclay]

To be fair, and LB33 would back me here, what is every team doing that isn't Cleveland, GSW, Philly, Minny, us, and maybe Milwaukee.

If you're not first you're last

[/b]

I am not sure what this is supposed to mean?