Despite being heavily linked to a move away from the Chicago Bulls on trade deadline day, Lauri Markkanen is still a Bull as of right now. For one reason or another, the Bulls decided to keep Markkanen on board, which could indicate that he still remains part of Chicago's plans for the future.
Prior to Thursday's deadline, Markkanen appeared to be cool, calm and collected:
“I felt, I’m in a good place that I can focus on the task at hand, I can play games and it’s not gonna bother me,’’ Markkanen said on Wednesday, via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. “I can’t control [trades], I knew that was one possibility when I didn’t sign my extension before the season, so I knew that was one thing that can happen. So it doesn’t affect me at all.’’
True enough, the Bulls ended up keeping Markkanen despite interest from opposing teams. Then again, this might not be of their own choice. According to reports, the Bulls tried to include Markkanen in the deal with the Washington Wizards that sent Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchinson to DC (the Bulls got Troy Brown Jr. and Moritz Wagner in exchange). Apparently, the Wizards were unwilling to part ways with a first-rounder in exchange for Markkanen.
That's not the only deadline deal Chicago pulled the trigger on. They also brought in All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic, sending Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and a couple of future first-rounders in the opposite direction. It would not be surprising if Markkanen's name also popped up somewhere along the way.
Be that as it may, Markkanen will remain in Chicago — for the time being at least. He's going to be a free agent in the summer, and it remains to be seen if his future lies in the Windy City.
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