Chicago Bulls fans were treated to eye-opening Rudy Gobert rumblings on Monday, with both The Action Network's Matt Moore and Marc Stein suggesting the Bulls as the likely landing spot if the Utah Jazz trade their All-Star center.
However, Stein is now throwing a bit of cold water on these rumors, saying in his latest batch of intel that “the Bulls have ongoing reservations about pursuing a Gobert deal.” In addition to Stein's pushback, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago says these Gobert-to-Chicago rumors are “overstated” at this time.
This almost certainly has to do with the cost it will require to get Gobert, who's set to make over $38 million in 2022-23 as part of a five-year, $205 million contract. While Gobert has his flaws and the Jazz are in a position to shake things up, the franchise isn't going to trade away a cornerstone for scraps. It has been reported that the Bulls are hesitant to part with youngster Patrick Williams in a deal for Gobert, so that could be one of the holdups here. Even if Chicago is willing to give up Williams, Utah is probably looking for even more in addition to the young forward and Nikola Vucevic, which was a previously reported framework going around the NBA.
While Gobert would help make the Bulls an elite defense, they're likely wary of pushing in too many chips for a center whose flaws have been exploited at times in the playoffs. Chicago has already spent a lot of draft capital on the current roster.
Of course, this doesn't mean a Gobert trade to the Bulls is totally off the table. But if Gobert doesn't go to Chicago, Stein also notes the Toronto Raptors as a “team to watch” in these trade talks. The Raptors have been rumored as a potential Gobert destination for a while. The Atlanta Hawks are another interesting team that could be involved.
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