We told you this trade was coming last Friday night, now it is official:
The Chicago Bulls have sent Marquis Teague to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Tornike Shengalia, the teams have announced.
What the Bulls get is money — the little-used Shengalia can and will be let go after this season. Teague is owed $1.1 million next season then there are the team option years on his rookie deal after that. The Bulls had thrown in the towel on Teague — Derrick Rose is out for the year but reserve point guard Teague last got on the court for Chicago on Christmas Day (and that was for two minutes). Teague has gotten run in the D-league, that’s about it.
Brooklyn is a fresh start for Teague. He will play behind Deron Williams and if he plays well he will get minutes (allowing more Shaun Livingston next to D-Will), but the Nets are rolling right now and if Teague isn’t performing well he’ll just be sitting on a different bench.
The other part of that trade (a separate deal but tied with the Teague deal) the Nets sent Tyshawn Taylor to New Orleans for cash and the draft rights to Edin Bavcic (who likely never plays in the NBA).
This saves the Nets a little cash the second half of this season, but what it really does is free up a roster spot if the Nets want to use the disabled player exception they got through the Brook Lopez injury. The Nets may not go there but they can if they choose now.
