Chicago Bulls (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Once put on a poster by a Chicago Bulls legend, veteran point guard Goran Dragic could be on his way to the Windy City shortly.
Dragic was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Thaddeus Young just before the trade deadline last Thursday. However, San Antonio also received a first-round pick. That pick was the center of the deal, and ultimately Dragic was going to be bought out.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the buyout has been agreed to as of Tuesday morning.
Next up, Dragic gets to pick where he lands as a free agent. Could it be Chicago? There’s definitely interest, but the Bulls will have competition.
Might take some time for Goran Dragic to negotiate a buyout with the Spurs as expected. As @ChrisBHaynes first reported, there’s interest with the Mavs. Dragic intrigued with Nets, Warriors, Clippers & Bulls, too, but TBD on how that plays out
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 10, 2022
After agreeing to a buyout, point guard Goran Dragic would be the perfect pickup for the Chicago Bulls.
For a while now, the Bulls have been without point guard Lonzo Ball. In his place, rookie second-rounder Ayo Dosunmu has been playing very well. His ascension has made losing Ball a bit less painful.
But, behind Dosunmu is Coby White, who functions better as more of a two guard. Then, there’s Matt Thomas, whom Bulls fans probably want to see get the axe here soon — that is, if the Bulls can find a replacement.
Signing Dragic would mean Thomas is ultimately cut. There’s no doubt about it. That might also mean Dragic steps into a starting role, but Billy Donovan has to be smart. Dosunmu has found his groove as the starting point guard, and bringing Dragic off the bench might be a wiser move.
For his career, Dragic averages just under five assists per game and is an above-average three-point shooter. He’s also been a pretty solid defender for most of his career, so fitting in with the Bulls would be a breeze.
This is a move the Bulls make to set themselves up for a deep playoff run. Should Dragic choose the Bulls, all that’s left would be for Chicago to potentially find another big man to replace Tony Bradley — although Derrick Jones Jr. has stepped in after coming back, and played well in that role.
Dragic should be finding a new home shortly, and Bulls fans can only hope it’s with Chicago. We’ll see where the 35-year-old, former All Star lands. If it’s the Bulls, this team is going to be even scarier when they’re all healthy.