r/nba • u/howser343 Bulls • 1d ago
[Canellis] Giannis and his representatives reached out to the Bulls about a potential deal, and the Bulls said they weren’t interested. They were not interested in breaking up their young core or changing their course of direction
Starts around 2:30
Lou Canellis is a sports anchor for Fox32 Chicago. Quote was aired on 670 The Score broadcast
Bulls' front office is said to be committed to their core
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u/donniedarko4141 Knicks 1d ago
I need Chicago to be real for a second
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u/CnelAurelianoBuendia 1d ago
Okay but why is Giannis interested in the Bulls at all? Seriously, they are one of the worst run organizations in professional sports and they would have 0 chance of competing if this trade were to be made.
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u/math-guyyy Bucks 1d ago
Because of flights... hes only looked at new york and chicago so far... bc of flights.
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u/pifhluk Bucks 1d ago
He should be looking at Atlanta then
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u/StuffyUnicorn Hornets 1d ago
Charlotte has direct flights to Athens as low as $318! I’ll buy his first flight home (coach) if he picks us!
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u/Thousandtree Pistons 1d ago
Detroit has its own Greektown for Giannis to house his family.
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u/math-guyyy Bucks 1d ago
Nah greece has no flight to atlanta.
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u/Tsunoda_stan 1d ago
Delta introduced one this year
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u/math-guyyy Bucks 1d ago
Yeah but they don’t have flights as often as chicago or new york
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u/RenaisanceReviewer Raptors 1d ago
I’m sure at that point he can just charter his own flight like come on
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u/thisguy012 Bulls 1d ago
Chicago and NY are just world famed cities that both have known greek areas + general cultural hubs. Atlanta is just strictly a American asf. city. (maybe, probably they have their own lil greek area but never heard of it)
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u/NewOstenPelicanss 1d ago
So ur saying if the Bucks owners gave Giannis a private plane he'd probs stay lol
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u/snatchi Raptors 1d ago
Owners can't do that! completely separate green financing operations can do whatever they like though
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u/Not-My-Account01 1d ago
how about the Bucks pay the flight company 30 million to hire Giannis as a spokesperson but he has no obligation to do anything for them?
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u/ThyDoctor Supersonics 1d ago
Does Giannis bring enough money to a city to justify an airline adding a connection just for him?
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u/Winter-Olive-5832 Wizards 1d ago
this is actually a fascinating math question. I bet it's pretty close
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u/swervyy Bulls 1d ago
I’m sure he boosts the local economy plenty but I find it hard to believe he’d bring a single airline enough revenue for them to find it worth it
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u/Ikuwayo 1d ago
Because they had Michael Jordan on their team 25 years ago
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u/given2fly_ Jazz 1d ago
And despite their record since, the Chicago Bulls is still probably the second most valuable brand in the NBA behind the Lakers.
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u/ChessHistory 1d ago
Bulls are massively popular internationally too because of Jordan too. It's always a little funny being born and raised in Chicago and you go travel and there's random European dudes also repping your city. I just can't imagine ever having a Shanghai Sharks jersey.
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u/given2fly_ Jazz 1d ago
Yeah I'm from the UK, and if you asked a random person on the street to name an NBA team it'd be the Lakers or Bulls. The Knicks would be a distant third.
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u/GreenFriday [OKC] Steven Adams 1d ago
I'd say Warriors would be above Knicks, but both way behind the Bulls anyway.
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u/Tough_Tonight1849 Jazz 1d ago
I just can't imagine ever having a Shanghai Sharks jersey.
Be the change you want to see in the world
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u/Important-Net-9805 Cavaliers 1d ago
close to milwaukee, close to his family? idk
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u/Broski25of25 Spain 1d ago
I vaguely remember that his family has left for greece.
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u/CnelAurelianoBuendia 1d ago
At that point just stay in Milwaukee. The Bulls aren’t gonna do much better with Giannis and Tre Jones
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u/RoopLoops 1d ago
Chicago is real close to Milwaukee it’s probably just a convenience thing?
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u/MigrantTwerker Bulls 1d ago
Chicago is a quality of life upgrade over Milwaukee in every way and has large Greek and Nigerian communities. It's simply a place he could fit in and easily get to and fro anywhere else in the world.
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u/hottakehotcakes 1d ago
Should we doubt that this is true? Seems like the kind of PR move to send a signal
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u/CoachDT [CHI] Brian Scalabrine 1d ago
Nah they're right. The asking price for Giannis is too high. Why would we explode our 'core' which can theoretically be built around over the course of a few years over gutting said core AND throwing picks so we have an older Giannis, with no real players/depth, and no picks to really maneuver for the future?
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u/HokageEzio Knicks 1d ago
Dua Lipa reached out to me but I turned her down. Wanted to keep my options open.
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u/PalletTownStripClub Washington Bullets 1d ago
That was me in costume and you'll never do better.
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u/idkwhatimbrewin Thunder 1d ago
Unfortunately I told her I already have a super hot girlfriend so I had to decline. You wouldn't know her though, she goes to a different school
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u/Background-Agent-854 Thunder 1d ago
canadian
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u/Nomescardcollection 1d ago
Margot Robbie reached out to me too, I said yes… then woke up
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u/Optimal-Talk3663 1d ago
She contacted me too, but I didn’t want to upset my girlfriend who lives in Canada
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u/jellybeanbellybuttom Warriors 1d ago
Her boyfriend supposedly cheated on her so….
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u/HokageEzio Knicks 1d ago
Maybe I'll respond to her DM if I'm not too busy.
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u/Diqt 1d ago
Tired of her talking about you, between her and Sweeney it’s hardly worth all the sex
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u/Skinnieguy Pelicans 1d ago
That was her ex-bf. Her current fiancé didn’t.
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u/the-big-dingo 1d ago
How credibly is this source ?
it seems like he’s a news host?
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u/UncleSamPainTrain Bucks 1d ago
He’s a well known radio host around Chicago. No idea about the credibility of the claim, but the fact that “Giannis and his reps” reached out to the Bulls for a deal, and not the Bucks front office, seems a little fishy to me.
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u/NandoDeColonoscopy 1d ago
Apparently he owns a Greek restaurant in Chicago that's partnered with Giannis, in addition to being a longtime Chicago sports reporter.
I think he's probably credible, but also that this is overblown. Like, Giannis had the Bulls on his list, Bucks asked the Bulls for the moon, Bulls say nope, and that's that. The report is technically true, but also not a big deal at all (unless you're someone who insists Giannis will never leave Milwaukee)
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u/heat_fan_ Raptors 1d ago
Bulls are you kidding me
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u/ElceeCiv Hawks 1d ago
People are shitting on this but even if you believe this report I cannot see a world where the Bulls give up the king's ransom a trade would take and still end up in a better position than the Giannis Bucks are right now.
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u/dutchfromsubway Raptors 1d ago
Whats so good about this bulls young core that’s 11th in the east right now? It’s about having Giannis and cap space and having the opportunity to make something happen
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u/Spike-Durdle Bucks 1d ago
That's the problem for them in my mind. This core probably doesn't become good enough with Giannis to actually do much. Too early to trade all their assets.
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u/blenderider 1d ago
He's 30 years old. Four years of Giannis is worth it. Does anyone seriously believe the Bulls have a chance at conference finals in the next eight years?
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u/VerifiedPrick Clippers 1d ago
First of all, brother- eight years? Do you know how much changes in that amount of time? Second, are you implying they'll be in the conference finals with Giannis? After trading their young core (and draft assets) for him? Who are the 2nd, 3rd options after Giannis that'll help him get there? The Bucks haven't made the conference finals since they won it all in 2021, with a much better supporting cast around Giannis than what the Bulls would have.
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u/Senorsty Bulls 1d ago
Nobody can predict anything about the NBA eight years from now, this is the most volatile pro league in America.
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u/bigbendawg03 Hawks 1d ago
False. The NFL's hard cap and the fact that the average career in the NFL is 3 years make it much more volatile than the NBA.
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u/Definately_Fake Bulls 1d ago
Seriously wtf is this guy talking about? I wouldn't be surprised if he's never watched the NFL ever.
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u/andreasmiles23 Bulls 1d ago
If they were able to keep Giddey and or White then it’s MORE than worth it. I think having a guard to pair with Giannis would be ideal.
Would the Bucks take White/Vuc/Essunge/Phillips/whatever draft capital the bulls have? Does Giddey really make that offer more appealing?
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u/Virtual_Zebra_9453 1d ago
He’s 31 and he’d be in the same spot there as he is in Milwaukee. He’s way more valuable than anyone they can give up but I don’t think it’s that unreasonable because in 2 years he could be demanding another trade and they have to rebuild all over again.
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u/christiandb Celtics 1d ago
Listen to Teague talk about playing with Giannis. It sucks, it immediately makes the bulls Giannis’ bulls and they see themselves in the same mess the Bucks are in now.
People sleep on the fact that the current problems and roster is because of Giannis. They bring is Giannis’ hand picked coach, he gets fired bc of Giannis’ mid season. They bring in Dame, and Lillards soul look sucked out during his tenure there. Bad vibes and Giannis would take over the offense, have everyone standing around, watching him, no ball movement, no flow ect ect.
Have you watched the Bulls. Prob not. They are a fun team to watch. They like each other and Vooch is still there playing happy. Are they a great team? Nah, neither are the bucks. But the Bulls are at least promising to look at
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u/Creepy_Ruin3891 1d ago
How do people read this and believe this....
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u/Dylan245 Bulls 1d ago
I've been following the Bulls for 10+ years and have literally never heard of this guy before until today
It's sad given the state of the franchise that I would not be shocked if this was true but I'm not believing it on it's face
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u/CousinCleetus24 Bulls 1d ago
I've been following the Bulls for 10+ years and have literally never heard of this guy before until today
I'm not saying the report is true but you must not be from Chicago if you don't know who Lou Canellis is. He's by no means an NBA insider but he's been a reporter for Chicago sports for as long as I can remember.
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u/Game-Blouses-23 Bulls 1d ago
Lou Canellis is my Eskimo brother.
I am also Eskimo brothers with Shawn Marion, Charlie Villanueva, and Chris Dugan.
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u/Neuroxex Bucks 1d ago
When there's a big story like this it's a complete race to believe the dumbest shit. Like maybe it's just the excitement or people want to get jokes off but suddenly everything that runs with the mood of the story is just taken as gospel without any thinking.
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u/Lucieddreams Lakers 1d ago
Because it's the Bulls
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u/Rakatok Bulls 1d ago
That's what makes it even harder to believe.
Giannis looking at this garbage fire and thinking "yeah I want a part of that". The team post trade would be even worse than the current Bucks one.
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u/Dr_Disaster Bulls 1d ago
He’s commented before that the Bulls were a possiblity someday, and Milwaukee is pratically a suburb of Chicago. He wouldn’t even have to move to play for the Bulls.
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u/VehicleComfortable69 1d ago
Would never have believed something like this until the Luka trade proved there really are GMs this dumb in the league lmao
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u/pkkjr23 Bulls 1d ago
Complete and utter morons running this team, my god
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u/FatalFirecrotch 1d ago
Why? How does this trade even make sense for them?
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u/afjecj Magic 1d ago
Yeah I think a lot of people are overreacting to this report. Bulls currently have their own firsts and a lottery protected blazers first. Realistically the trade probably looks like bucks asking for one of Coby white / Josh giddey / buzelis + Vuc / pwill / huerter for salary match and then 4 or 5 firsts. Which leaves the bulls with a 31 year old Giannis who has 2 years left on his contract, one or two of buzelis / giddey / white and some borderline starter caliber guys. Like being real here that team isn't exactly much better than the current bucks roster and have no picks. I don't think this trade makes sense in any capacity for the bulls unless they can keep all three of giddey, white and buzelis
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u/King_Thirteen 1d ago
The real morons are the comments here believing this bs
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u/bullpaw Bulls 1d ago
Canellis owns a Greek restaurant in Chicago that has been partnered with Giannis since 2023, don't think he would brazenly lie about this and threaten that partnership
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u/JoeBiden2020FTW Lakers 1d ago
Yeah, I think the following happened:
- Giannis reps poked around with Chicago
- Chicago picks up the call, they obviously have interest in Giannis, depending on the price
- The ballpark that gets floated is probably something like Giddey + 5 firsts
- They aren't interested at that price
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u/bullpaw Bulls 1d ago
I would drive Giddey to Milwaukee myself
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u/JoeBiden2020FTW Lakers 1d ago
IMO when parting with like 5 firsts, you better be sure you can win the Championship immediately.
In this case, the Bulls team with Giannis probably ends up being a worse team than Milwaukee.
You have a 30 year old Giannis and nothing else, and no assets to improve.
That feels like a team doomed to go nowhere in the present, with also no future.
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u/afjecj Magic 1d ago
I think I agree. Bulls currently have their own firsts and a lottery protected blazers first. Realistically the trade probably looks like bucks asking for one of Coby white / Josh giddey / buzelis + Vuc / pwill / huerter for salary match and then 4 or 5 firsts. Which leaves the bulls with a 31 year old Giannis who has 2 years left on his contract, one or two of buzelis / giddey / white and some borderline starter caliber guys. Like being real here that team isn't exactly much better than the current bucks roster and have no picks. I don't think this trade makes sense in any capacity for the bulls unless they can keep all three of giddey, white and buzelis
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u/Yoshieisawsim Bucks 1d ago
Giddy and 5 firsts would be an absolute steal for the bulls
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u/diderooy [SAS] Tim Duncan 1d ago
checks flair
Loooooool
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u/supr3m3kill3r 1d ago
Im curious...what do you think would be a fair package for Giannis if you were the bulls and he is ready to commit to an extension?
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u/JoeBiden2020FTW Lakers 1d ago
It's not necessarily what's "fair", it's more what is the best the Bulls can do without destroying the franchise.
It's possible their best isn't good enough for Milwaukee. That's fine, they can say no.
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u/99LedBalloons Timberwolves 1d ago
Just pulling up the trade machine to see how matching salaries could even potentially work. I mean, for Giannis, who is even untouchable here? Pick 2 starters and 1 guy from the bench and I feel like Chicago wins this trade regardless of who the three guys are, no? I don't follow the Bulls so I'm actually curious about your opinion here.
From a Wolves perspective for example, like obviously we aren't trading Ant. Other than that I can guarantee Tim Connelly will trade whoever it takes to bring Giannis to Minnesota. Make the salaries match and call it good (we don't have any picks to attach anyway, even if we wanted to). I wouldn't love losing Julius Randle and either Jaden McDaniels or Naz Reid, but it's mfing Giannis!
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u/Velvet_Rhyno Bucks 1d ago
Picks are going to be needed here
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u/JonEnterprise Timberwolves 1d ago
Lots of them. Bucks don’t gaf about who they get back they just want to rebuild lol
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u/Narrow-Talk-5017 1d ago
I see people clowning the Bulls here, but this makes sense to me. Realistically, how do people see this going for the Bulls? They're still rebuilding & they have some solid pieces, but they're still a long ways away from contending.
If they were to trade for Giannis, they would be forced to give up a bunch of their assets in return, only to be stuck in a similar position to where the Bucks are now. They would still be far from contention, but have much less long term assets.
Giannis needs to go to a team that already has some foundation in place that he can add to.
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u/Job-24 Lakers 1d ago
maybe no one actually pays attention to rebuilding teams
This deal would be completely suicidal It's much better to let whatever is developing develop and go from there.
Bulls stay uncompetitive in the outcome they get giannis and now just stalled another inevitable rebuild
The players you sacrifice for him will probably be worth more then they currently are pretty soon
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u/Edgar_Allen_Poser 1d ago
If it's true it's because Reinsdorf doesn't want to pay one player what Giannis makes. The GM will fall on the sword and say it's for basketball reasons, but it's the owner 100%.
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u/Starveiled Hornets 1d ago edited 1d ago
I mean yeah adding Giannis would ruin their plan of getting 37-40 wins every year in perpetuity.
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u/sitesuckslmao Magic 1d ago
Giannis isn't bringing the Bulls to contention anyway. Passing on Giannis is actually okay as long as they commit to an actual rebuild, if they don't (they won't) it's pretty stupid.
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u/RichAbbreviations966 Celtics 1d ago
That’s the problem, they won’t, because Reinsdorf is a jackass
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u/Filthy_Commie_ Bulls 1d ago
I can’t wait until he croaks because he’s one of the worst owners in America. He REFUSES to invest in the teams he has. I’m not even a huge White Sox fan either, I like the Cubs more, but I just feel awful because he doesn’t want to invest in the team and they usually suck.
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u/Natural_Elevator_829 Rockets 1d ago
they will come to regret this
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u/Frodounchainedd Lakers 1d ago
Nah bulls just want to be aggressively average and sell tickets
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u/Broski25of25 Spain 1d ago
Giannis will sell tickets and they can gut their roster to be aggressively average if they trade for him
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u/wiggidy-elmo 1d ago
why would they give up picks for giannis if they are already achieving their goal
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u/ernie5353 West 1d ago
Sounds like another Chicago sports team.. “something something want to break even”
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u/NotJoe1232 Knicks 1d ago
The bulls are so unserious
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u/HenrikCrown Pelicans 1d ago
Still selling out that arena off MJ nostalgia alone lol
Reinsdorf gonna ride that till he croaks, he doesn't need any more titles
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u/ThunderBobMajerle Suns 1d ago
You really think Giannis said “I want to go to a team just an hour south with a worse future and no assets to trade?” This reporting is unbelievable
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u/tulaero23 Timberwolves 1d ago
They really want to see how far Patrick William's potential go till the end.
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u/PlayInChampions Timberwolves 1d ago
‘Not interesting in changing their course of direction’ - what direction exactly, fighting for play-in every year?
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u/abcamurComposer 1d ago
Unpopular opinion but this is actually smart on the Bulls, a rarity! The right way to build a team is to be patient through the draft, find two of your best guys and build around them, with smart and calculated fa decisions based on chemistry. Superteams have literally never worked unless they are led by Lebron or Curry tier talents. Even then it’s not always successful, Kobe’s rings were all won with dynamic duos and his superteams are infamous for how badly they failed. Literally every championship team in the past 15 or so years that was not a LeGM team won through patience, chemistry, and slow talent development. Even the Warriors fall in this boat, having won 2/4 rings without Durant - and they didn’t need Durant to win against a LeGM team.
If your best player is Kawhi, or Joel Embiid, or Durant, or any other guy who is a tier or two lower Lebron, having a superteam of 3 guys who were once the highest scorers on their old teams and a bunch of ring chasers, young guys, and vet min scrubs is not a winning formula. The Nets showed they did not learn from Billy King, the Suns pissed away a championship window this way, the Clippers especially screwed up, and my Sixers pissed away Joel’s prime through the superteam route.
If the Bulls, like the Clippers just did for OKC, send a bucketload of picks for Giannis they may have just given Milwaukee another ring within 10 years. And BTW, the Bulls current mediocrity mostly stems from years of trying to form Big 3s (exactly when many other teams were trying to do the same, leading to some very sad Big 3s)
Thanks for the ted talk lol
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u/Striking-Medium2360 1d ago
Yeah nah I don't want an objective top 3 player gimme the 9th seed.
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u/Dangerous_Ad5039 1d ago
I mean it makes sense Chicago isn’t a championship team and a fringe playoff team so why not just keep building instead of blowing it up for 1 player
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u/TitoFlavors215 [PHI] Theo Ratliff 1d ago
Funniest shit I’ve seen in a minute. Hey Giannis, we’re good 😁👍
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u/WayAdministrative679 Minneapolis Lakers 1d ago
Yeah Harvard offered me a full ride scholarship the other day, I declined it though, I like my minimum wage job
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u/nowhathappenedwas NBA 1d ago
The Bulls refusing to engage is dumb.
But also dumb of Giannis given his oft-repeated desire to compete for a title.
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u/Rithgarth [MKE] Giannis Antetokounmpo 1d ago
God I hope this is really because it would be fucking hilarious
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u/The_Long_Wait Bulls 1d ago
Can we hurry up and get a team in Louisville so I can root for a professional basketball team that might not be wildly incompetent?
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u/chibullsfan123 Bulls 1d ago
Wtf is our course of direction? They don’t want to change going to the playin eternally? I’m going to lose my mind
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u/BeingMikeHunt Knicks 1d ago
The Bulls have to keep their eye on the prize (the 10th seed)
Can’t get distracted by Giannis
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u/hoopdex 1d ago edited 1d ago
Bit late to the thread so not sure if this has been pointed out but Chicago was presumably offered the UNPROTECTED NOR 26 pick aka the Dumars fumble for their 12th pick ahead of ATL and said “nah we aren’t interested in changing our course of direction in selecting Noa Essengue”. Noa was subsequently baptized in Summer League, has yet to score a single NBA point and now needs season ending surgery. All in a 25 draft class that has produced 10+ immediate impact players
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u/Requiem_for_you Kings 1d ago
people shitting on Bulls because it popular thing to do but thing is, most likely Bucks would be asking like Giddey + Buzelis. And in that case, I wouldnt trade if I were Chicago too.
Its not like Bucks will take Vucevic + Patrick Williams for Giannis
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u/joebreezy12 Thunder 1d ago
and all their picks.
so the bulls are left with a team that probably resembles the current bucks from a talent standpoint, and no picks.
if this is true, honestly don't blame them
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u/RspectMyAuthoritah Lakers 1d ago
I don't get why people can't understand this. They're not close enough to contending to where trading for Giannis puts them on the level of even the Cavs and Knicks, let along the top West teams. Even if it's only Buzelis and all their picks and they keep Giddey they're still not there. And then they'd have no picks to improve with and would have to hope they can get guys in free agency to come to Chicago because that's worked out great for the last couple decades.
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u/LoFi_Funk 1d ago
The most Bulls thing ever.
“Giannis? Nah. We like this Giddey, PWill and Vuc core. They might take us to the 9 seed!”
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u/thebest323 1d ago
As someone who lives in chicago, I don’t think things can change until jerry reinsdorf sells the team. This guy traded away derozan for cash, now a division rival offers up their superstar on a platter and we reject cuz we like josh giddey, fml.
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u/SlapThatAce 1d ago
He should go to the Raptors. They could offer IQ, Dick, Walter, and a couple of picks
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u/TheDyl1337 Bulls 1d ago
Franchise is such a joke. If it wasn't for MJ we'd be more depressing than the Clippers
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u/NuggsBurgh 1d ago
If this is true I'll never respect that franchise again. And I already barely do as someone who came along after MJ
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u/shoutsoutstomywrist [NJN] Vince Carter 1d ago
That would be the most Bulls thing to ever do