The Chicago Bulls have made a trade that will send Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott, and a second round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne, and Anthony Morrow.
Sources: OKC and Chicago are nearing agreement on a trade to send package centered on Cameron Payne for Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2017
OKC sending Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow, w/ CHI sending ’18 second-round pick with McDermott and Gibson, sources tell @TheVertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2017
The Bulls have been in talks since this summer on whether or not they will trade star player Jimmy Butler. However, they went with a much smaller trade, bringing in Lauvergne who can stretch the floor, and Morrow who hasn’t had much playing time this year, but is a threat from beyond the arc. Payne was the 14th overall pick in the 2014 draft.
Lauvergne is on the last year of his contact, so the Bulls will be able to wipe his $1.7 million off of their books at the end of the season. Payne still has up to three years left on his contract, assuming the Bulls pick up the team option and give him the qualifying offer.
The Thunder are acquiring Taj Gibson who can fill in for Enes Kanter while is out with a forearm injury. Gibson also is on the last year of his contract, so the Thunder will have to decide if they want to re-sign him at the end of the season. McDermott has another two years on his contract worth close to $8 million, and the last year depends on if the Thunder want to give him the qualifying offer.
As the deadline passes, it remains to be seen what the Bulls will do with Jimmy Butler.
