The Warriors are too cool to worry. It might be time to start.

 The Bulls have already given their money to DeRozen, Ball, and Caruso. If it happens with LaVine, the Bulls will need to diversify their money. Even though I want to see White traded for a legitimate SF, doing a trade with White and Vooch, might make sense. A trade of White, Vucevic, and a future 1st round pick might be enough assets in exchange for the younger, more all-around big man in Rudy Gobert, and it might appeal to the Jazz?

GAME DAY!

Golden State looks to even the series as Boston looks to take a 3-1 lead.

Game 4: TONIGHT at 9:00pm/et on ABC#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV 🏆 pic.twitter.com/RqFqOHzz4d

— NBA (@NBA) June 10, 2022

SAM SMITH:

Still hate the Jazz, eh? Hey, they lost the two Finals. We're now about to embark upon trading speculation/fantasy season with all but two teams still unable to trade. But as unfair as it seems, the NBA isn't dedicated to trades that favor the Bulls. I often suggest to consider if you were a fan of the other team. Would you do that? So Gobert—even though I feel he's overrated— is a multiple All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year signed long term (though for a lot of money). For an older center entering his unrestricted free agency season, a guard who struggled coming off the bench eligible for an extension and perhaps some future non lottery pick several years away. Because if the Trailblazers lose Lillard they're out of the playoffs for years to come.

Now, I don't believe you can win a championship or get to the Finals if Gobert is one of your top two players. Though with the money he makes in a small market, I admit there are some Jazz trade possibilities that might not make overall basketball sense. But with the Bulls roster hypothetically taking on that $40 million-plus salary of Gobert's you could be in salary cap hell. For a fourth option? I feel like you can get size and rim protection much more inexpensively. But from a Utah standpoint, given his accomplishments they'd certainly expect more. And now being run by Danny Ainge, who is a notoriously demanding negotiator. Ainge was the guy who basically wouldn't give the Bulls more than Terry Rozier for Jimmy Butler. Not that he was right, but it suggests his negotiating pattern.

TIM KONCEL:

It's that time of the year where we can dream about building a super team in Chicago. I like to think we could get the superstar with health/displeasure issues with their other team and it would get better here. With that, who are realistic trade targets? Do you think the Bulls could get any of these players, and who would it take to get them: Ben Simmons, Damian Lillard, Zion Williamson, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis

SAM SMITH:

No, no, no, probably not without maybe giving up DeRozan and Patrick Williams, and no. I can see a Gobert theme developing here with the Jazz perhaps the combination of most disappointing/underachieving playoff/reorganizing team with the two stars who supposedly don't get along. Gobert makes $38 million next season and three after that more than $40 million, which would be too much for me for what he does. I've always felt you drive into his body and he doesn't react that well. Zion's an interesting case due to be paid more than $100 million with rarely having played. The Pelicans probably want to take a look at him first given the public and potential box office interest. It would be too big a risk for me given his injuries and often lack of conditioning. Would he then change for you?

The larger issue may be players are looking around and seeing that the Join-a-Big-Three model doesn't guarantee anything anymore (see: Lakers, Nets, Clippers). And a max deal sounds better than getting yourself traded. Which seems why Lillard and Bradley Beal likely aren't going to be on the market. You interested in Westbrook? John Wall? Kyrie? On the other hand, there are some economic possibilities. With breakthrough guys like Jordan Poole, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey and Desmond Bane, some teams probably are going to try to mine other sources for an inexpensive gem. So I guess it's possible that a big name hits the market. But I also sense the Bulls are attempting that strategy with at least Patrick Williams and perhaps Ayo Dosunmu. I don't see LeBron letting the Lakers move on from Davis or the Nets from Simmons once he's ready to play.

RICHARD MEAGHER:

Can the Bulls get Mitchell Robinson of the Knicks this summer as a FA? He could help shore up the front line, Any chance they could trade or buy in for a second round pick in the upcoming draft?

SAM SMITH:

With so few big time free agents that seem on the move this summer, I suspect someone like Robinson will be out of the Bulls price range. Plus, he gets hurt a lot. Which perhaps is karma for taking out Patrick Williams. I think the Bulls can get a Robinson type athletic seven footer with the No. 18 pick. They had success last year in the second round, but don't have their own second round pick this draft. I suppose they could buy one, but not many are for sale these days and it looks like they could have a very expensive summer otherwise.

MICHAEL WORTH:

Watched some Jabari Smith highlights and he is pretty smooth. Has quick moves and nice handles. He does need to bulk up. If I am Magic I go with him and build around him and Wagner. Make Suggs the backup and get a vet PG in there.

SAM SMITH:

Jabari Smith seems to be something of a consensus safe top pick in a draft without one. They seem ready to move on from Mo Bamba, so some have suggested they'd take Chet Holmgren to play a modern stretch four with former Bull Wendell Carter since Holmgren might have the higher ceiling. Given, you know, he has trouble bumping is head. As I've noted, I'm not a fan of the big, skinny types. Though Holmgren's no Bol Bol. Orlando still has Jonathan Isaac recovering for two years. With Franz Wagner, Smith would be another athletic wing in perhaps a Celtics like situation with Wendell to bang around and they still have a Bulls No. 1 coming next year. It's tough to dig out with so many young guys. You have to hit with one guy. Which is why the Bulls rebuild phase didn't work. They never really got lucky in the draft. Consider the difference for the Bulls if teams didn't jump them in the lottery who then had chances to draft Luka, Ja and Zion.

HOMER SAYSON:

Is it true that the Bulls are interested in 7-foot-3 Filipino center Kai Sotto. A story in New York said the Bulls are giving him a workout.

SAM SMITH:

Well, the Bulls need a seven footer backup big guy. I don't know much about him playing in Australia. He's mostly mentioned in the mock drafts as a second rounder, so I suspect the Bulls at No. 18 would likely go for someone projected higher. He seems like the sort of guy who if he slips through you'd like to bring to Summer League. Can't teach size, and all that, and one of the Bulls' biggest needs is big.

MIKE SUTERA:

Gross with all the threes in Game 1. And maybe less Iggy for the Warriors. And more Poole. Give some minutes to GP for energy.

SAM SMITH:

I suspect we'll see Payton in Game 2 with the Warriors giving up 64 points in the second half with Tatum not able to make a shot. Steve Kerr is an adjustments guy. I keep dismissing the Celtics since I most remember them from coming apart against the Bulls, though it was early in the season. It was a heck of an offensive game for the Finals. I'm also not one so thrilled to watch 86 threes going up, but it should send a loud message to the Bulls for next season. That game and really most of the playoffs. The team that made the most threes generally has won. I'd hoped the NBA would not continue to come to this, but at some point I guess you have to give in. The Bulls last in the league by a lot in three pointers attempted may just point to the biggest need for next season if the team has a chance to seriously compete. As much as we celebrated DeRozan's game, the Bulls will have to find more shooters. Who are willing to shoot. Management after the season vaguely mentioned needs like interior size and defense, perhaps point guard insurance, though Ball supposedly has been progressing well. But the way so many of these playoff games have been decided suggests there's an obvious priority the Bulls badly need to address.

STEPHEN ZWICK:

I like Mark Williams. He fits the Bulls need for a back-up 5 and rim protector. But I don't think he'll slide to 18 where the Bulls pick. Also not sure that Mark Williams is worth trading whoever the Bulls select at 18 and Coby to the team that selects Mark Williams. Walker Kessler seems NBA ready and serviceable but doesn't provide much flexibility and seems more suited for the way the NBA use to be played. So I'm a little more intrigued with another Williams... Jaylin Williams. He's got good size and is a high energy player somewhat in the mold of Bobby Portis (another Razorback) or Christian Wood. JWill is not as big as the other two I noted above, but seems a bit more flexible (can play the 4 or 5) and better suited to today's game. He can also hit 3s though needs to improve his percentage. His 3-point percentage though is better that Walker Kessler's. JWill is known more for his D than his offense, but looks like there's more upside potential particularly on O with JWill than with Kessler.

SAM SMITH:

Or Daniel Gafford? Hey, whatever became of him with the Wizards? I've mentioned targeting a seven footer, but in the NBA these days like Boston with Horford and Robert Williams, with defense and some athletic ability (Kevon Looney) you can get by if you have enough skill. Yes, and shoot a lot of threes. Every team tries to make changes to improve, but given the Bulls roster situation it seems most likely they'll "run it back," as they said after the season, in the context of they were around first and highly competitive until all the injuries, and basically lost their best defenders in Williams, Lonzo Ball and Caruso. So perhaps they don't need change as much as continuity? And then someone from the draft, presumably a tall man, to be able to come in and support the defense. Oh, right, and shooting.