Grade the Trade: 2 former Bucks return to Milwaukee in mock deal with Bulls
By Dalton Sell
The Bulls' POV
After trading Alex Caruso away to the OKC Thunder and letting DeMar DeRozan depart to join the Sacramento Kings, the Bulls are clearly bracing for a rebuild. The next big dominos for them will likely be Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, but it would make sense if they ended up testing the market on most of their veteran players to see what kind of return they could get.
Pat Connaughton wouldn't give them some young player to build around, but he could be a strong veteran presence for a young group. Of course, the guard has championship experience and has been through his share of ups and downs along the way. That type of battle-tested past could be helpful for the next generation during a rebuild, allowing Connaughton to lead the locker room.
This particular deal would also open up another roster spot for the Bulls, giving them the luxury of signing another player if they so desire. With a handful of quality free agents still looking for homes, that could be very beneficial. It also gives them another tradeable contract if they want to make a future move, as a $9.4 million salary could net them a nice return.
Craig and Carter were far from significant contributors, so this deal wouldn't hinder the Bulls from an on-court standpoint.
Grade for Bulls: B