Bulls guard likely to attract trade offers

The Chicago Bulls continue to win in unconventional fashion. Against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, their bench completely dominated, outscoring Denver’s second unit 66–9.

The Bulls achieved this despite losing key players who usually drive their bench production. Coby White missed the second game of a back-to-back while continuing his recovery from an offseason calf strain. Normally a starter, White came off the bench in Chicago’s prior loss to the Utah Jazz and still poured in 27 points and dished out eight assists in his season debut.

Tre Jones missed the Bulls’ matchup against Utah as well. With White out, Jones stepped into the starting lineup for every game this season, a role he likely would not have held if White had been healthy. He has made the most of the opportunity, averaging 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.1 steals while anchoring Chicago’s starting unit.

Tre Jones with the Bulls

Jones, who inked a three-year, $24 million deal this offseason, will be eligible for a trade starting December 15. With his strong production while earning only $8 million annually, he is likely to attract attention from several teams looking for a reliable point guard.

Consider the Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. At least three of these squads could be viewed as contenders, each with uncertainty at the point guard spot.

The Bucks need more point guard depth for their lineup. The Hawks rely heavily on Trae Young but do not have a solid backup true point guard. Meanwhile, the Mavericks, Rockets, and Timberwolves have all experimented with lineups lacking a traditional point guard this season.

Trading Jones probably isn’t a top priority for the Bulls, but it will almost certainly be discussed. His salary and production give no reason to move him. However, if Chicago can acquire a player who better fits their needs, such as a perimeter stopper or interior defender, Jones could be the player they are willing to trade.

The Bulls appear to value Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White more highly than Jones. Jones has been a steady contributor, but he lacks Dosunmu’s scoring ability and defensive range, and he falls short of White’s offensive output. Because of this, Jones could be the player the Bulls consider moving to streamline their deep guard rotation.

The post Bulls guard likely to attract trade offers appeared first on ChiCitySports.