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Bulls get: PF/C Joffrey Lauvergne, SG Anthony Morrow, PG Cameron Payne
Thunder get: PF/C Taj Gibson, SF/PF Doug McDermott, 2018 second-rounder
Undoubtedly, Chicago made a couple of downgrades in this trade. McDermott was their top perimeter threat off the bench -- averaging about 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.2 threes per game on efficient shooting percentages (44.5/ 37.3/ 88.1) -- and is still improving. Morrow, on the other hand, once a lethal three-point weapon (career average from three: 41.7%), is now connecting on a miserable 29.4% of his long-balls this year, and he hardly makes an impact in other facets of the game. This downgrade in three-point shooting is especially tough on the Bulls, as they currently rank dead last in three-pointers made and second-to-last in three-point percentage in the NBA; McDermott was one of their very few talented outside shooters. If Chicago was looking to make a trade at the deadline, it should have been to improve in the all-important category of outside shooting, not pour kerosene on the fire.
As well, Taj Gibson -- an essential member of Chicago’s frontcourt -- was putting up a very solid 11.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game on 51.4% shooting from the floor. Now, Joffrey Lauvergne is tasked with taking his place, who -- while in fact underrated -- has only been tasked with 14.5 minutes per game, producing 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in them on 45.3% shooting from the field.
Of course, however, the real value for Chicago here is in 2015 lottery pick Cameron Payne, who will instantly compete for minutes at the Bulls’ weakest position. However, Payne is averaging just 5.3 points -- albeit on just 12.2 minutes per game -- this season on an abysmal 33.8% field goal percentage, so the jury is certainly still out as to whether or not he can make an impact in an expanded role. If this is the case, then the Bulls have just found their long-term answer at point guard in the 22-year-old and may not even need to re-sign Rajon Rondo. But if Payne fails to pan out, especially to such lofty expectations -- which seems to be the more likely scenario -- then Chicago just sacrificed two precious forwards, integral to the team’s rotation, for downgraded replacements; all while only making their three-point shooting problem worse. No pressure, kid.
Grade: C+
Bulls get: PF/C Joffrey Lauvergne, SG Anthony Morrow, PG Cameron Payne
Thunder get: PF/C Taj Gibson, SF/PF Doug McDermott, 2018 second-rounder
Undoubtedly, Chicago made a couple of downgrades in this trade. McDermott was their top perimeter threat off the bench -- averaging about 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.2 threes per game on efficient shooting percentages (44.5/ 37.3/ 88.1) -- and is still improving. Morrow, on the other hand, once a lethal three-point weapon (career average from three: 41.7%), is now connecting on a miserable 29.4% of his long-balls this year, and he hardly makes an impact in other facets of the game. This downgrade in three-point shooting is especially tough on the Bulls, as they currently rank dead last in three-pointers made and second-to-last in three-point percentage in the NBA; McDermott was one of their very few talented outside shooters. If Chicago was looking to make a trade at the deadline, it should have been to improve in the all-important category of outside shooting, not pour kerosene on the fire.
As well, Taj Gibson -- an essential member of Chicago’s frontcourt -- was putting up a very solid 11.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game on 51.4% shooting from the floor. Now, Joffrey Lauvergne is tasked with taking his place, who -- while in fact underrated -- has only been tasked with 14.5 minutes per game, producing 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in them on 45.3% shooting from the field.
Of course, however, the real value for Chicago here is in 2015 lottery pick Cameron Payne, who will instantly compete for minutes at the Bulls’ weakest position. However, Payne is averaging just 5.3 points -- albeit on just 12.2 minutes per game -- this season on an abysmal 33.8% field goal percentage, so the jury is certainly still out as to whether or not he can make an impact in an expanded role. If this is the case, then the Bulls have just found their long-term answer at point guard in the 22-year-old and may not even need to re-sign Rajon Rondo. But if Payne fails to pan out, especially to such lofty expectations -- which seems to be the more likely scenario -- then Chicago just sacrificed two precious forwards, integral to the team’s rotation, for downgraded replacements; all while only making their three-point shooting problem worse. No pressure, kid.
Grade: C+