NBA rumors: What Bulls won’t ‘sacrifice’ to make Anthony Davis trade with Mavericks

Recently, rumors have swirled about the Chicago Bulls’ potential acquisition of Anthony Davis in a trade. Currently, Davis is playing in his first full season with the Dallas Mavericks following the landmark trade with the LA Lakers, which sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers last February.

Currently, the Bulls have a young core they are looking to build around, which includes Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Matas Buzelis. Plus, they see French rookie Noa Essengue, the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, as gradually solidifying his place amongst that core.

As a result, the hope for the Bulls is to round out that core by bringing in a player of Davis’s caliber, particularly to bolster Chicago’s defense.

However, the Bulls aren’t willing to take a chance at this point, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. According to team sources, Chicago isn’t going to let go of any of their core players to make room for Davis, at least until they becomes a contending team.

“I don’t think going out and chasing X megastar is the way to proceed — at least today,” one source told ESPN.

Currently, the Bulls could trade around five first and second-round draft picks and still have $70 million in cap space next year. Also, they have ownership over all their first-round draft picks over the next seven years.

The pros and cons of Anthony Davis joining the Bulls

On the plus side, Davis brings a wide array of skills to Chicago. He is an elite defender and is excellent at rim protection. Plus, he can score effectively and can be a good partner for the likes of Giddey to execute a pick-and-roll.

Furthermore, Davis is a veteran leader with championship-winning experience. Additionally, he is a native of Chicago along with Buzelis, Ayo Dosunmu, and Jevon Carter.

On the flip side, Davis does bring a bit of baggage and vulnerability. He has a history of injuries as evident by his recent calf injury. Also, he played more than 56 games only once during the 2019-2020 season.

Additionally, he doesn’t come cheap. Davis has a $60 million annual salary, which would put Chicago in a position to trade young players and radically adjust their financials to accomodate him.

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