(670 The Score) The Charlotte Hornets have emerged as a leading suitor for Bulls restricted free-agent big man Lauri Markkanen.
The Hornets have a strong interest in giving Markkanen an offer sheet, Shams Charania of the Athletic reported Thursday afternoon. Restricted free agents can’t sign offer sheets until Friday, when the NBA moratorium ends.
The Bulls have the right to match any offer sheet that Markkanen signs, but that decision would hinge on the price point. The teams could also conceivably work out a sign-and-trade if all parties agree, a route that could be Chicago's preference after it has parted with so much draft capital recently.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the terms of the Hornets’ offer could be. The feeling across the NBA is that Markkanen and his camp have overvalued his worth, which has led his market to cool. The Spurs had interest in acquiring Markkanen, but his asking price became too much for their liking, according to multiple reports. With Markkanen out of the picture, the Bulls instead inserted veteran forward Thad Young into a sign-and-trade with the Spurs that sent wing DeMar DeRozan back to Chicago.
Markkanen, 24, averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while posting career-high marks of 48% shooting overall and 40.2% on 3-pointers last season, but he struggled with his consistency, decision-making and defense. Eventually, that cost him his starting job later in the season, and his shift from cornerstone piece to role player clouded his future with the organization. He was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Markkanen’s camp and the Bulls engaged in contract extension talks last December before the season began, but a wide gap persisted between the sides, as they were about $4 million apart annually at the start of the deal, NBC Sports Chicago has reported.