NBA Trade Rumors: Chicago Bulls need to move on from Lauri Markkanen and get John Collins
The Chicago Bulls finished 11th in the Eastern Conference in the 2019-20 NBA season. It was yet another campaign to forget for the once-great franchise, but they can at least feel good about the way some of their youngsters have progressed. Coach Jim Boylen was a disaster with the Chicago Bulls, and his sacking has brought a sense of optimism around the team, with some interesting NBA Trade Rumors suggested to get them back on track.
The Chicago Bulls received the 4th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, which is something for the fans to eagerly look forward to. The guard rotation with rookie Coby White and borderline All-Star Zach LaVine is extremely promising, and the Bulls fans certainly dream of glory days in the near future. Of course, they will need to be smart in the off-season to turn their dreams into reality.
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NBA Trade Rumors: Chicago Bulls may be able to bring in John Collins
The starting power forward of the Chicago Bulls, young Finnish talent Lauri Markkanen, was the 7th overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft. Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves and later shipped away to the Chicago Bulls in the Jimmy Butler trade, Markkanen was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dull team.
The 7'0" forward averaged a solid 18.7 points per game on decent efficiency in his sophomore season. However, 2019-20 was a terrible year for Markkanen as he regressed tremendously - ultimately posting numbers worse than those from his rookie season.
Interestingly, the same 2017 NBA draft saw another power forward drafted in the modest 19th spot - Atlanta Hawks' John Collins. Collins had a very decent rookie season too, but he was nowhere near Markkanen's level of production.
Remarkably, the 6'9" forward from Wake Forest took an unforeseeable leap in his sophomore season and hasn't looked back since. He scored nearly 20 points per game as he developed a fairly functional three-point shot.
It was in 2019-20 that the careers of these two players began to take contrasting paths. John Collins continued to develop at an amazing level as he averaged a 20-point double-double while shooting over 40% from three. As things stand, Markkanen is some way off Collins' level.
John Collins' stats
Career points per game - 16.2
Career assists per game - 1.6
Career rebounds per game - 8.8
Career field goal % - 57.1%
Career 3pt % - 36.9%
One could blame Lauri Markkanen's tragic regression on coach Jim Boylen's poor offensive system, as he's still undoubtedly a very skilled offensive player. But if the Chicago Bulls can manage to convince the Atlanta Hawks to shake hands on a potential swap deal, they should get it done.
The very reason why this trade might be possible in the first place is because John Collins is on the last year of his rookie deal, and will most definitely ask for a big payday. News around the NBA suggests that the Atlanta Hawks may be unwilling to hand him what he demands, and might be willing to discuss a trade if it was worth their time.
NBA Trade Rumors: How can the Chicago Bulls convince the Atlanta Hawks to part with John Collins
The Chicago Bulls could make it worth their time. Along with Lauri Markkanen, who would demand much less to re-sign, the Bulls could offer to swap their 4th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft with the Hawks' 6th overall pick.
The rest of the trade would totally depend on how much the Atlanta Hawks front office rates Lauri Markkanen and how uncertain they are of offering John Collins what he demands. Regardless, this is a trade that the Chicago Bulls may just be able to pull off.
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