This morning, senior NBA writer Sergio Rabinal revealed that the Chicago Bulls had shown interest in a new name as the trade deadline inches closer. Interestingly, it is not a point guard as the previous reports from Shams would have suggested, but rather a big man to bolster the inside presence off the bench or possibly give the flexibility to move Nikola Vucevic. While this may not be a blockbuster move, it would be an attainable and quiet swap that could be an improvement from the less versatile Andre Drummond, who's been removed from the rotation nearly entirely.
Center Help Incoming?
This would be a curious one for Chicago, for a player whose game is similar to Andre Drummond, only a bit younger, taller, and faster. Given that Drummond is nearly out of the rotation entirely and hasn't seen significant or consistent minutes in months, this one is a head-scratcher.
Willy Hernangomez is a 28-year-old, 6'11" center who's been in and out of the Pelicans rotation, but he is mostly sidelined when the team is healthy. With a career seven points and six rebounds per game in 15 minutes of action across his seven seasons, it's a stretch to find where the value lies for the Bulls. He cannot stretch the floor, is a career sub-30% three-point shooter and not a stellar defender, and at only a year younger than their current reserve big-man Drummond, the swap would be pretty insignificant.
Breaking Down The Deal
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Andre Drummond
Chicago Bulls Receive: Willy Hernangomez, 2024 Second Round Selection (NOP)
While most of the fanbase has been confused since this news release, it would give the Bulls some draft capital, and the biggest underlying reason could be the moving on from their two-time all-star Nikola Vucevic. If that were the case, it's doubtful that Drummond would be in the deal, and the two centers moving forward would be Hernangomez and Drummond. If Drummond were to stay, the replacement in the mock trade could be Coby White, which would require more valuable draft assets or other players from New Orleans, or Tony Bradley, who is also out of the rotation.
Given that Vucevic's contract is up after this season and there's no indication that he's reached an agreement, Bulls' insider K.C. Johnson knows that this could be a grave mistake by the front office if they fail to get any value following the blockbuster trade for the Magic's big man a few years ago. His tenure in Chicago would end with one playoff win and zero all-star appearances in exchange for losing three first-round selections to Orlando. A lopsided move that would certainly haunt a front office that almost immediately was more aggressive than the prior regime if they fail to extend him before his unrestricted free agency this summer.
Is this a deal that would benefit Chicago, or is there some underlying meaning behind acquiring an eerily similar talent to one they already have, yet choose not to include in their nightly rotation?
