The Chicago Bulls are navigating a rebuild and have now missed the postseason in seven of the past eight seasons.
Still in a contract stalemate with Josh Giddey this summer, the team could look to hand him a long-term extension as part of its future alongside Matas Buzelis, Isaac Okoro and No. 12 overall pick Noa Essengue. With solid young frontcourt pieces in place, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team moved on from an underwhelming forward in the near future.
Mark Morales-Smith of SI.com recently put together a mock trade that would land the Bulls a potential star on the wing amid their rebuilding effort.
Here’s Morales-Smith’s proposed trade:
Bulls receive: RJ Barrett
Raptors receive: Patrick Williams, Jevon Carter, first-round pick
Williams has been largely underwhelming for Chicago since being selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Even so, the Bulls gave him a five-year, $90 million extension in June 2024.
MORE: Bulls linked to $122 million Rockets forward amid ongoing rebuild
Moving on from Williams for Barrett — who has All-Star potential — would fit Chicago’s rebuild and provide the team with a talented wing to pair with its young core. He’d also presumably step in as Chicago’s No. 1 scoring option.
With Coby White on an expiring contract, finding a replacement now could be a viable alternative to offering him a lucrative deal next offseason.
Barrett would be an upgrade for Chicago and has averaged at least 19.6 points per game in four consecutive seasons. In his first full season with Toronto in 2024-25, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists across 32.2 minutes per game in 58 regular-season outings.
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