Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley essentially told the league that they wouldn’t deal Markkanen unless there was a third team involved to help out, and they stuck to that ideal.
The Bulls got what they wanted, and that was that. This new front office is exactly what the Bulls have long needed — a couple of men who will settle for nothing less than what they want and deserve, even if they end up making out like bandits.
In trading Lauri Markkanen, the Chicago Bulls made out like crooks, and cemented themselves as pure savages.
Can confirm that Lauri Markkanen is headed to the Cavaliers on a four-year, $67M deal in a sign-and-trade, which @wojespn reported 1st. I’m told Portland is also involved in the deal, and Derrick Jones Jr., a lottery protected first-round pick and a second-rounder coming to Bulls
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) August 27, 2021
In exchange for Markkanen, the Bulls received a future first-round pick from the Portland Trail Blazers. It’s a lottery protected first, but it won’t expire until 2028. So, with the odds of Portland making the playoffs one of the next seven seasons being highly likely, the Bulls will end up taking that pick one of these years.
Chicago also received a second-round pick from Cleveland, along with Derrick Jones Jr. and his expiring contract.
If you were to look at some other deals made around the league, this one simply screams “genius.”
Eversley and Karnisovas have done a masterful job with the Bulls this offseason. For example, the New Orleans Pelicans traded Lonzo Ball for a second-round pick, Tomas Satoransky and a freshly inked Garrett Temple, who comes to New Orleans on a 3-year deal.
The fact Chicago got far more for Markkanen than the Pelicans did for Ball is hilarious in and of itself. Ball is a much more valuable player than Markkanen. However, when you think about the Bulls being involved on the other end of the Pelicans’ deal, it becomes even funnier.
Chicago’s front office has truly figured out a way to get exactly what they want — without budging. What is this world we live in?
