Draft week means rumors. Lots and lots of rumors. This shockwave goes beyond the draft and seeps into trades and free agency. The whole league gets infected with the rumor bug. The Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert are the next two to get spun up in the web.
Reports have continually emerged about links between the Bulls and Gobert. However, a new report from The Action Network's Matt Moore on the Locked On Nuggets podcast just sent the rumor mill into overdrive:
“Kind of the expectation around the league at this point is that Rudy Gobert is going to go to Chicago, Moore said. “That’s what I heard.”
Moore brought this up while discussing the possibility of the Denver Nuggets trading picks 21 and 30 to move up to No. 18, which is where Chicago sits. The Bulls could then use that extra first-round pick as trade ammo for Gobert.
Gobert has established himself as a staple big man in the NBA. His interior defense and rim protection are nearly unmatched. Concerns around Gobert are based on his offensive limitations and playoff performance. However, paired with Bulls stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, Gobert could play his role and leave the scoring duties to his teammates.
Another uncertainty in this equation is just what the Jazz want in a trade. Chicago is perfectly happy taking Gobert off their hands, but Utah will be expecting a sizable return for a longtime franchise cornerstone. In addition to the potential draft capital mentioned, the Bulls have assets like Nikola Vucevic, and younger pieces such as Patrick Williams (there's some doubt about Chicago's willingness to include him), Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. The Jazz may not be super high on the trade pieces available, but the situation in Utah prevents them from having much leverage.
The Bulls may very well end up with a new superstar piece in the near future.
Follow Us
Subscribe