The Chicago Bulls cannot speak with prospective free agents until June 30 at 6 pm ET.
Chicago-born rapper Lil Durk is not beholden to the same regulations, and he is trying to exert his influence on the organization’s behalf.
Durk – born Durk Derrick Banks in Chicago – posted a screenshot of his private message to Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. James has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season in Year 2 of a two-year, $99 million contract.
He is expected to return to LA, per The Stein Line’s Marc Stein. Banks wants a different outcome.
“you and Bronny come to Chicago bulls s*** ill pay you if I got to,” the “Smurk Carter” rapper posted on Instagram on June 24.
Lil Durk attempts to recruit LeBron and Bronny to the Bulls😂
“Idc if I got to go half @chicagobulls its time,” Banks captured the post.
James is coming off an NBA-record 21st All-Star selection this past season. He averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assist, and 7.3 rebounds in 2023-24. He also shot a career-high 41% from beyond the arc, which would play well for the three-point-starved Bulls.
Bronny James is expected to be selected no later than the Lakers with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft. His outlook as a professional has been the subject of plenty of scrutiny.
James has also backed off his previous desires to play alongside his son in the NBA.
Bulls Could Finally Realize Dream of 2010
This would be a full-circle moment for the Bulls, who put on a heavy pursuit of James and Dwyane Wade in 2010. They were a favorite to land the then-dynamic duo too, before the Miami Heat upped the ante.
“my eyes were here, LeBron’s eyes were here,” Wade said, per Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill in 2016. “Miami put a monkey wrench in the plan when they could fit all 3 of us.”
Wade: “my eyes were here, LeBron’s eyes were here. Miami put a monkey wrench in the plan when they could fit all 3 of us.”
The trio went on to win two championships in their four seasons together.
James ultimately returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, spending four years there before bolting for the Lakers in free agency in 2020. He will turn 40 years old in December and is in line to land the largest contract of his playing career.
The Bulls traded for Josh Giddey, sending former championship Laker Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The deal is widely viewed as a step back for the Bulls at the very least and potentially a harbinger of things to come.
As such, James might not fit with the kind of timeline their acquisition of Giddey could suggest they are moving towards.
James’ fit alongside Giddey is also questionable.
LeBron James Might Not Fit New-Look Bulls
While the veteran has developed into a reliable shooter, Giddey has not. He has been an inefficient and unwilling shooter in his career. He was played off the court for the Thunder in the playoffs.
Dallas is exploiting Giddey’s iffy shot in ways beyond “leave him open.”
Mavs can closeout harder knowing xGiddey can stop any drives — hence OKC’s drop in 3p%
OKC had the best 3p% during the regular season — but their playoff 3p% is *second worst* among remaining teams
There is also the matter of James’ pursuit of Michael Jordan’s legacy in the eyes of ownership. That was a potential hindrance to previous dealings, per Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus in May.
That is before even getting into the potential financial ramifications.
Both James and Giddey are in line for new money. Banks’ efforts may be in good spirits. The union might not make as much sense to the parties involved, though. At least not as much as it did in 2010.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He's based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
