REPORT: Thaddeus Young Is Not Available in Trade

The Chicago Bulls have one of the league’s most sought-after trade targets sitting on their roster, but that doesn’t mean they are entertaining offers.

According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, Artruas Karnisovas is currently telling interested teams that veteran forward Thaddeus Young is off the table. Young, 32, is currently averaging 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He is also shooting a 61.5 effective field goal percentage and has an assist-to-usage percentage that sits in the 96th percentile (1.14).

Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is telling teams that Thaddeus Young isn’t available for trade, according to multiple league sources. Executives wonder whether Karnisovas is just posturing to gain leverage since Young is highly sought after, but he does help facilitate development for their youth.

Ok, so there are a couple of things we can take away from this. First of all, if Karnisovas is legitimately not engaging in talks about Young in any capacity, then it almost solidifies the fact that this front office wants to make a push for the playoffs. Young has arguably been this team’s second-most important player, and he has been instrumental in giving the Bulls one of the most stable benches in the league. Similarly, he has played tremendous basketball alongside All-Star Zach LaVine. The two have clocked more minutes than any other two-man combination on the team, and they average about a +9.8 (per 100 possessions) when sharing the court, per Basketball-Reference.

With a record of 16-18 and currently slated 9th in the Eastern Conference, there is no question the Bulls will be in the mix for a playoff or play-in tournament spot over the course of the second half. Removing Young from the equation would not only eliminate a player who appears in all of the team’s best lineups but force an adjustment period for a young team in the middle of a run for the playoffs. More wins can oftentimes lead to improved development, and that must be the way the front office views things right now. After all, The Athletic’s Shams Charania did say on 670 The Score that Young’s impact being the scenes is “probably been ever greater than his on-court play.”

We should also note that this isn’t the first time the front office has shown a hard-headedness toward moving their veterans. We learned just last week – thanks to the IndyStar – that the Indiana Pacers reportedly called about free-agent signee Garrett Temple earlier this season, and the Bulls hung up the phone.

The last thing I think is at least worth a mention when addressing Young’s future in Chicago is his relationship with LaVine. The Bulls first-time All-Star and possible future cornerstone has referred to Young as “his vet” numerous times. He and Young were first together in Minnesota, and Young was the one Bulls player to show up in LaVine’s All-Star announcement surprise video.

Of course, we also have to ask ourselves how easy it might be for Karnisovas’ mind to change. O’Connor would not have shared the latter part of his statement if there weren’t at least some inkling that the Bulls could pivot from this stance. The trade deadline is not until March 25th, and the front office knows they hold all the cards. Playing hardball now could net a great return later. With how coveted Young appears to be, we should have no doubt teams will continue to call even if this news is out there.

I suspect this isn’t the end of Young trade rumors – far from it. While it could give us a better idea of the direction for this team moving forward, it could also prove to be a negotiation tactic. Buckle-up.

written by

Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

more bulls news

What Would be the Best Draw for the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament?

Nine games stand between the Chicago Bulls and the Play-In Tournament. I know ... yippie! Practically locked into the No. 9 seed, this puts them in line to host the No. 10 seed at the United Center in Round 1....

Best Defense of the Season, Playing Big, Javonte Green’s Instant Impact, and Other Bulls Bullets

Lose to the 14-win Wizards one game and hold the Pacers' elite offense to their worst performance of the season the next. Your 2023-24 Chicago Bulls, everyone! As I said in last night's Enhanced Box Score, I'm now even more...

WOW: Minnesota Timberwolves Sale to Alex Rodriguez Falls Through

The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a bomb on Thursday morning. According to a statement released by the Timberwolves and Lynx ownership group, the franchise is no longer for sale. A transition of power was thought to be in place over the...

Enhanced Box Score: Bulls 125, Pacers 99 – March 27, 2024

I got to be honest, I'm even more upset about the Washington Wizards' loss. If the Chicago Bulls played like they did tonight, they would have beaten that depleted Wizards team by 40. This was a locked-in group from the...

Javonte Green Makes Bulls Return… Immediately Does Awesome Stuff

Javonte Green has officially made his Chicago Bulls debut ... again. The 30-year-old signed with the organization via a 10-day hardship deal on March 22. Injuries to Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Julian Phillips paved the way for...

WATCH: Alex Caruso Snatches Rookie Ben Sheppard’s Ankles

Alex Caruso will always be known for his defense capabilities, but he's showing a lot more than that this season. The veteran guard is averaging double-digit points for the first time in his career. A big part of that has...

Draymond Green Ejected Less Than 4 Minutes Into Game Against Orlando

Draymond Green was at it again on Wednesday night. Out East to take on the Orlando Magic, the Golden State Warriors watched Paolo Banchero bulldoze Andrew Wiggins to the rim early in the first quarter. As Banchero high-fived his teammates...

Pre-Gamin’: Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls (7:00 CT), Projected Lineups, How to Watch, More

Everything was awful on Tuesday. Be Better. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1772971933161705610?s=20 Game Info Indiana Pacers (41-32) at Chicago Bulls (34-38) – 7:00 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Projected Starting Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Alex Caruso Ayo Dosunmu...

Around the Association: Caitlin Clark Gets Big(3) Offer, Knicks Getting Help, Lakers OT Thriller, More

It's hard to believe we have less than three weeks remaining in the NBA's regular season, and we should be in for some real drama down the stretch. The Knicks have plenty to play for in their remaining 11 games...

WHOA: NCAA Looking to Ban Prop Betting on All College Athletes

As the NCAA men's basketball tournament gears up for the Sweet Sixteen, the college sports world received some big news. On Wednesday morning, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that NCAA president Charlie Baker wants to officially ban prop betting on college...

Latest News

SEC Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 30

The Friday postseason college basketball slate includes two games featuring an SEC team in action. Among those games is the Creighton Bluejays playing the Tennessee Volunteers. Here are our recomendations for the best bets on action throughout the conference.How to...

Big 12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 30

There is one game on the postseason college basketball schedule on Friday that feature Big 12 squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That matchup is the Duke Blue Devils versus the Houston Cougars.How to Bet on Big 12 Games[lasso...

ACC Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 29

There are two games on the postseason college basketball schedule on Friday that feature ACC squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That includes the Duke Blue Devils versus the Houston Cougars.How to Bet on ACC Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best ACC...

Big East Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 29

There are three games on the postseason college basketball schedule on Friday that feature Big East squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That includes the Creighton Bluejays versus the Tennessee Volunteers.How to Bet on Big East Games[lasso ref="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"...

Braves vs. Phillies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Atlanta Braves open their season as -125 favorites in a road matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday at 3:05 PM ET, live on BSSO.Spencer Strider takes the mound for Atlanta while Zack Wheeler is Philadelphia's starter for the...

Washington State vs. Illinois Women’s Basketball: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

Two hot teams meet when the Washington State Cougars (21-14) host the Illinois Fighting Illini (17-15) on April 1, 2024. The Cougars will put their three-game win streak on the line against the Fighting Illini, who have won three straight.On...

Villanova vs. Penn State Women’s Basketball: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Villanova Wildcats (21-12) will try to extend a three-game winning streak when they host the Penn State Lady Lions (22-12) on April 1, 2024. The Lady Lions have also won three games in a row.In its previous game, Villanova...

Brewers vs. Mets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Milwaukee Brewers look to start their season with a win as road favorites (-110) in a season-opening matchup with the New York Mets. First pitch is on Friday at 1:40 PM ET on SNY, live from Citi Field.Freddy Peralta...

Braves vs. Phillies Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The Atlanta Braves (0-0) and the Philadelphia Phillies (0-0) match up on Friday at Citizens Bank Park for Opening Day. First pitch is at 3:05 PM ET.The Braves will look to Spencer Strider versus the Phillies and Zack Wheeler.Braves vs....

Suns vs. Thunder Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The game starts at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The matchup's point total is...

more bulls news