3 Keldon Johnson trade partners that make sense, 3 that don't

Doesn't Make Sense: Chicago Bulls

Despite going through their own struggles, the Spurs have a vested interest in the Chicago Bulls' success or lack thereof. The Bulls are viewed as possible sellers at the trade deadline, and players such as Zach LaVine and former Spur DeMar DeRozan could be moved. However, neither fit with the Spurs' timeline, and San Antonio probably won't be willing to trade Johnson to Chicago for any other player either.

The Spurs have an incentive not to help the Bulls since they own a future first from Chicago that is top-10 protected in 2025 and top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027 from the DeRozan trade. If the Bulls bottom out, then it may be hard for the Spurs to receive that pick. But then again, if they receive a high pick in one or two of those seasons, Chicago might be good enough for them to lose their selection in 2027.

That would be huge for San Antonio since it could mean that they would end up with a lottery pick in the final season of Wembanyama's rookie contract before his rookie max kicks in. That would allow the team to add a cheap and talented young player to offset his monster contract. Although it's not a guarantee that would happen, the Spurs should do everything in their power, including declining to trade with the Bulls, to make that a reality.