The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has acquired guards Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine (luh-VEEN), as well as No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft Lauri Markkanen (LAU-ree MARK-a-nin) from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for guard/forward Jimmy Butler and the No. 16 overall pick Justin Patton in tonight’s Draft.
Dunn (6-4, 205), selected fifth overall by the Timberwolves in the 2016 NBA Draft, appeared in 78 games and averaged 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 17.1 minutes per game last season. Dunn won back-to-back Big East Player of the Year awards while at Providence (2014-15 and 2015-16). He averaged 15.6 points and 7.5 assists in his junior season, and finished with 16.4 points and 6.2 assists in his senior season.
LaVine (6-5, 185), picked 13th overall by Minnesota in the 2014 NBA Draft, averaged 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 47 games last season. LaVine shot .459 from the field, .387 from long range and .836 from the foul line. For his career, LaVine is averaging 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 206 games and shooting .445 overall, .378 from 3-point range and .821 from the stripe. After his first year in the league, LaVine was named to the 2014-15 All-Rookie Second Team.
Markkanen (7-0, 230), the seventh overall selection in this year’s Draft, averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in his one season at Arizona. Markkanen posted shooting marks of .492 from the field, .423 from distance and .835 from the foul line. The Finland native was named Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press, Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and First-Team All-Pac-12 last season. Over the last 25 years, Markkanen and Kevin Durant are the players to record at least 69 3-pointers and 266 rebounds in their freshman year.
Butler (6-7, 231) was selected 30th overall by Chicago in the 2011 NBA Draft. A three-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA All-Defensive Team honoree, Butler has posted career averages of 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.46 steals in 399 games. He was named the 2014-15 Most Improved Player and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2016-17. In 38 career playoff games, Butler averaged 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.58 steals. Butler was a member of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team that won the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in the 2016 Summer Games. Butler ranks in the top 10 in multiple Bulls franchise records, including free throws made (ninth), free throw attempts (ninth) and steals (seventh).
