Chicago Bulls mega trade proposal nets Anthony Davis at high cost

Any trade for Anthony Davis, whether it’s to the Chicago Bulls or not, is going to cost. While he is old, expensive, and very injury-prone, he’s also one of the best defenders in the world, and a stellar overall player still. If the Bulls want the Dallas Mavericks star, it would cost a ton of assets to get it done. Does the front office feel that’s a move they should make? A few NBA insiders do, and they pitched a mock trade accomplishing this feat.

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Mock trade gives Chicago Bulls Anthony Davis

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In order to pull off a trade like this, the Chicago Bulls are probably going to have to employ the help of a facilitator. In Bleacher Report’s mock trade, they call on the Brooklyn Nets. Here’s the full mock trade, and it’s a doozy:

• Mavericks get:
  • Tre Jones (from Bulls)
  • Zach Collins (from Bulls)
  • Kevin Huerter (from Bulls)
  • 2026 protected first-round pick (from Bulls)
  • 2026 protected Portland Trail Blazers first-round pick (via Bulls)
  • $18.1 million trade exception (Anthony Davis)
  • $9.6 million trade exception (Caleb Martin)
  • $2.3 million trade exception (Dante Exum)
• Bulls get:
  • Anthony Davis (from Mavericks)
  • Caleb Martin (from Mavericks)
  • Dante Exum (from Mavericks)
  • Jalen Wilson (from Nets)
  • $8 million trade exception (Tre Jones)
• Nets get:
  • Dalen Terry (from Bulls)
  • Jevon Carter (from Bulls)
  • Rights to Melvin Ajinça (No. 51 in 2024, from Mavericks)
  • 2029 second-rounder (from Bulls)
  • 2030 second-rounder (from Bulls)

In essence, the Bulls nab Davis, Dante Exum, Caleb Martin, and Jalen Wilson for Tre Jones, Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, two first-round picks, Jevon Carter, Dalen Terry, and two second-round picks. It’s a beast of a proposal, and it would gut the Bulls’ depth. For that reason, it might not be the wisest investment. However, this deal doesn’t involve Nikola Vucevic, who, as an expiring contract, could be dealt elsewhere to bring back more depth/assets.

The Bulls aren’t the 6-1 team they started out as, but they’re also probably not the mediocre 10th seed in the East they have been. That might necessitate a trade, especially with the East wide open. The justification for the trade from Chicago’s perspective is, according to the B/R staff, that “landing an elite two-way big like Davis would help push the Bulls into a higher tier in the Eastern Conference.”

They also wrote, “The first-round picks given in the deal, including one from the Portland Trail Blazers, wouldn’t tie up the Bulls’ long-term draft capital.” With that in mind, it might be worth pursuing, but it might also be putting the cart before the horse.

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