NBA Trade Rumors: Chicago Bulls Looking to Trade Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant
The Chicago Bulls are going to be quite busy in the lead up to the trade deadline this Thursday.
According to the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson, trade talks surrounding center Robin Lopez have reportedly "intensified" as the deadline draws near. Point guard Jerian Grant has been placed on the trading block as well.
Lopez is averaging 12.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists as the Bulls' starting center, and he is shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 78.5 percent from the free-throw line.
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Meanwhile, Grant is currently averaging 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.5 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 74.4 percent from the free-throw stripe.
Lopez and Grant will continue to draw significant interest in the next few days. However, they are not the only ones who are likely on the move.
The Bulls acquired seldom-used big man Ömer Aşık, veteran point guard Jameer Nelson, and defensive specialist Tony Allen for the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Nikola Mirotić trade, but a couple of those players may never get the chance to suit up for the team.
"Allen never joined the team and will be waived if he's not traded. In a conference call with reporters that same day, executive vice president John Paxson said Nelson's status is to be determined. It's obvious the Bulls are keeping the expiring deals of Nelson and Allen in play as part of larger packages," Johnson said in his report.
"Still below the salary cap floor, the Bulls are well positioned to take bad contracts from other teams as long as a future asset — preferably a first-round pick — is attached," he continued.
Aşık's bloated contract makes him essentially impossible to move unless they add a draft pick to the transaction, so he is likely staying.
Johnson has also reported that the Bulls and the Oklahoma City Thunder have had trade discussions involving Allen, but nothing is imminent.
