While much of the attention on the Chicago Bulls has been focused on the front office's continued efforts to explore avenues in which they could offload two-time NBA All-Star Zach LaVine and his enormous contract, elsewhere, the Bulls have been making moves that signal the franchise is ready to get younger and cheaper with a rebuild on the way. But younger and cheaper doesn't necessarily equate to lacking promise, because if Adama Sanogo's final Bulls appearance last season is any indication, then the undersized center may have a promising future as a rotational big ahead of him.
“Chicago Bulls RFA Adama Sanogo has agreed to sign a two-way contract with the team, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport,” writes NBA insider Chris Haynes on Twitter. “Sanogo is represented by Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports.”
While Sanogo played in only nine games for the Chicago Bulls during his rookie season, he finished the year with by far his strongest performance on the big stage. In a game in which many Bulls starters and rotation players sat, Sanogo went for 22 points and 20 rebounds in 35 minutes off the bench versus the Washington Wizards in Chicago's 81st game of the season. With that performance, Sanogo became one of just 22 rookies in NBA history with a 20-20 game, according to StatMuse, and just the fifth rookie to do so this century, along with Victor Wembanyama, Walker Kessler, Gorgui Dieng, and DeJuan Blair.
“It feels good, man,” Sanogo said after his 22 point, 20 rebound performance, per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “I’ve been waiting for this all year. To be able to come in and do it now, it feels great. The good thing about this is it’s like a dream come true for me.”
Now, thanks to that late-season performance against the Wizards, in addition to his stellar play all season for the Bulls' G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, Adama Sanogo will get an extended chance to live out his dream. And with Andre Drummond on his way to Philadelphia, and the Bulls likely open to finding a suitable deal for Nikola Vucevic, don't expect Sanogo to play in just eight NBA games this year.
What's new for the Bulls on the Zach LaVine front?
Unfortunately for the Chicago Bulls, not too much. When the decision was made to sign Zach LaVine to a five-year max contract back in 2022, it turned out to be the death blow to Chicago's chances to be able to recoup something of value for him. Now, it's possible that the Bulls would need to unload draft picks in order to entice a team to take on LaVine's contract.
While the Warriors and the Kings have been considered the teams to watch for a potential Zach LaVine deal over the last few days, there may also be a glimmer of hope in Brooklyn as well. Stephen Not of Sporting News suggested a potential Zach LaVine for Ben Simmons swap that would trim $2 million in salary for the Bulls, and allow Chicago to get off of long-term money quicker than if they held onto LaVine. Simmons' contract expires at the end of the year, clearing the books for the Bulls as they continue to move toward a full-fledged rebuild, and Brooklyn gets a pseudo-star that they can put on banners outside of Barclays Center.
Feels like a win-win, if you ask me.
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