The Bulls may find themselves hard-pressed to make a big splash before this Thursday's trade deadline, but one name that could be on the move is Denzel Valentine.
The writing has been on the wall for some time. The fourth-year wing has been in and out of Jim Boylen's rotation all season (without much in the way of explanation) despite providing value as a playmaker and shooter in the minutes he's been granted. Just last week — after one of Valentine's best outings in a win over the Spurs — his teammates made a point of lauding his on- and off-court contributions to the team, while also possibly hinting at an impending move.
Now, with the deadline fast-approaching, suitors for Valentine's services are beginning to emerge. According to NBC Sports Chicago Bulls Insider K.C. Johnson, league sources have identified the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers as potential landing spots for Valentine:
According to two rival executives, the 76ers and Grizzlies are possible landing spots for the former lottery pick, who had fallen completely out of favor with coach Jim Boylen before the recent spate of injuries forced him back into the lineup. Valentine for Zhaire Smith; who says no?
We've written about Valentine's potential fit with Philadelphia on multiple occasions. The Sixers currently rank 28th in the NBA in bench scoring per game — despite a stalwart defense and homecourt advantage, Philly lacks reliable shooting and playmaking off the pine.
As Johnson ponders: Could Zhaire Smith (who's salary matches one-for-one for Valentine) intrigue the Bulls as a high-upside flyer? The answer to that should be yes, but both Smith and Valentine's value league-wide are ambiguous at the moment.
Valentine's playing time has been sporadic, and he missed all of last season after undergoing ankle reconstruction surgery; Smith was drafted No. 16 overall in 2018, but has played just 136 minutes in the NBA so far after enduring a gauntlet of ailments his rookie season. Still, it's not unreasonable to think his upside could garner a grander return for Philly than Valentine (or, that they may hang on to him and see how he pans out).
NBA
Memphis, meanwhile, has a host of young pieces — Marko Guduric, Grayson Allen, Josh Jackson, Bruno Caboclo (still just 24!), De'Anthony Melton (a leg above the formers), etc. — that they could structure a deal around as they continue their playoff push.
They're not flush with intriguing draft capital, but the Bulls should work ardently to get anything of any value for Valentine, who's departure is all but a foregone conclusion when he hits free agency this summer.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports and tune-in to watch the NBA Trade Deadline Show on Thursday, February 6 at 1:30 p.m. CT. Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Bulls easily on your device.