Utah Jazz: J-Notes staffers evaluate every NBA trade deadline deal
By Ryan Aston
Noah Vonleh heads to the Windy City
TO BULLS: Noah Vonleh, cash. TO BLAZERS: Rights to Milocan Rakovic.
Thorpe: Vonleh is a salary cap casualty that the Bulls took advantage of. Chicago is building a young team, so a low-risk move to take a flier a former lottery pick that was once compared Chris Bosh is a solid move. It’ll be interesting to see if Chicago plans to make him a part of their rotation to see exactly what they have there. Wait! Does Chicago actually have a plan?
Woodcox: The Bulls sure love their cash based on recent deals, and while it likely hurts the Blazers somewhat to give up players for essentially nothing (no offense intended, Rakovic), good on them for digging themselves further out of their atrocious salary situation.
Aston: It feels like Noah Vonleh has been around a bit at this point, but he’s really only 22 years old. Sure, the Bosh comparisons were bonkers, but there’s a reason he was picked in the top 10 of his draft (with some forecasting him to go even higher than that beforehand) and the Bulls could be a great team for him to grow with.
Keeffer: Yet another young player traded for essentially nothing. I liked Noah Vonleh coming out of the draft, and I actually thought the Jazz may select him over Dante Exum. It’s a good thing I am not the GM, since Vonleh has been traded twice in his young career already. Still, he’s only 22 and at 6-foot-10 with a long wingspan, he shot 35 percent from three last season. If you are the rebuilding Bulls, why not take a flier on him for essentially nothing?
Padmore: The Blazers needed to unload someone, anyone, and they did just that. Vonleh is still young, and could have a chance at playing time for the rebuilding Bulls. Portland will continue to try to unload some bad contracts during the offseason.
Next: Dante Cunningham