Bulls veteran forward Thaddeus Young appears to be the most viable candidate to be moved by the 2021 trade deadline on their roster, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Young will can fit in with a variety of clubs, and given his age will not match up as a long-term fit with Chicago.
The versatile role player forward’s skillset on both sides of the ball has been a big part of Chicago’s relative competence this season. The Bulls are currently 8-12, a half-game out of a play-in tournament spot in the East.
Young, 32, is averaging 10.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG for the Bulls in his 14th NBA season. He is in the second year of a three-year, $41MM contract he inked with Chicago in the summer of 2019. However, the $14.2MM he is owed on his 2021/22 salary is non-guaranteed until August 2021.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love continues to recover from a right calf strain that has kept him sidelined since December 27. His rehab has progressed to the point where he is able to commence “individual basketball activities,” per a Cleveland team press release.
- Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen, in the final year of his rookie deal before he can enter restricted free agency, could be a great fit as a stretch four under ex-Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Markkanen is enjoying his best scoring season yet, averaging a career-high 19.6 PPG on 51.1% shooting from the field and 39.6% shooting from three-point range (on 7.4 attempts a night).
- The 5-16 Pistons are the worst team in the East. Detroit is an interesting patchwork of veterans and youth, and continues to try to produce consistently night in and night out, per Rod Beard of the Detroit News.