There has been alot of trade speculation surrounding the Chicago Bulls since the beginning of the season. They have been loosely linked to Carmelo Anthony, who seems destined to be playing in a new jersey by the end of February. There have also been a plethora of other shooters that have been mentioned as possible names that could be moved by the trading deadline. The Bulls are an improving team, and should be a lock to at least move passed the first round of the playoffs this season. If they want to actually contend, they need to find somebody who can shoot well from the perimeter. So, with that in mind, I decided to take a look at some of the players they currently have on their roster, and possible players they could add.
Untradeable:
Derrick Rose: Nobody in their right mind would trade Rose to another team this early in his career. He is a legit MVP candidate this season, and will be the starting point guard at the all star game this season. He will only get better, and will be the face of the franchise for many seasons.
Joakim Noah: The Bulls just recently locked Noah up with a 5 year deal. Besides that, he is a top 5 rebounder, the second best defensive center in the conference, and his offense has improved alot (it will continue to get better as well).
Carlos Boozer: The only real scoring option the Bulls have in the post. Boozer is a double-double machine, and a legit 20-10 guy. Those are tough to find, and when you get one, you don't trade him.
Good Trade Candidates:
Luol Deng: Deng would look very good to other teams for a trade if he didn't have such a huge contract. He puts up decent numbers (18 points, 6 rebounds per game), but those stats aren't worth the money he makes, which is right around 11 million dollars per season, for the next 2 seasons.
Kyle Korver: I like Korver, especially in the role he plays for the Bulls. He is a three point specialist, and is the only real sharp shooter the Bulls have on their roster. However, if the Bulls are going to acquire a good perimeter shooter, they will likely have to give up a good shooter in the deal, and Korver would likely be the guy.
Ronnie Brewer: I almost put Brewer on the untradeable list, because Brewer is the type of player winning teams have. He comes off the bench, plays spectacular defense, chips in key buckets, and is a great team player. Championship teams have those kinds of players come off their bench. Other teams know that too, and may want Ronnie Brewer if they are to give up a quality shooter.
Taj Gibson: Taj has played unbelievable basketball lately, especially on the defensive end. He has had at least 5 blocks in 3 of the last 5 games, and continues to improve his mid-range jumpshot, along with his post game. I really like him coming off the Bulls' bench, because he would be starting on alot of teams in the league, which gives the Bulls much better depth in the backcourt when they are healthy. Teams around the league especially like Gibson's talent, and he may be a focal point of any deal the Bulls try to make.
CJ Watson: Watson is the only other player the Bulls have that can run the point, although he is more of a combo guard. He can score pretty well too, which is why some teams might request Watson be part of a trade if the Bulls want a quality shooting guard.
Others:
James Johnson: Some teams may take a flier on Johnson, as he has raw talent, but has not developed like a first round pick should. He doesn't get enough minutes to develop, but he really doesn't deserve the minutes either.
Omer Asik: The Bulls wouldn't trade him anyway, and even though other teams around the league might like this guy, he is also pretty raw. He is a defensive machine, and can rebound very well. He also makes alot of hustle plays, which players like Chris Bosh know nothing about. I think the Bulls want to develop Omer's game over the next couple of seasons, and see if they can hang on to him for a great option to replace Noah off the bench.
Keith Bogans: At this point Bogans continues to start, but he only plays 12-14 minutes per game, and doesn't really contribute much offensively.
Kurt Thomas: Thomas has played extremely well in Noah's absence, and the Bulls should be grateful for the job he has done. I don't think many teams would want him because of his age (38), but he does have an expiring contract, so who knows. Still, I think he stays with the Bulls to finish the season.
Players the Bulls could trade for:
1. Carmelo Anthony: It has been widely reported that Anthony, who is one of the best scorers in the league, only wants to play for the Knicks. If I'm the Bulls' GM, I say let him. Denver is asking way too much in any trade, and earlier this year, when the Bulls asked what it would take to land Anthony, the Nuggets said they would need Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and 2 first round picks. The Bulls answered by giving Noah a massive contract extension. Sounds like a big middle finger to the Nuggets to me.
2. J.R. Smith: Smith is the starting shooting guard for the Denver Nuggets, and plays alongside Carmelo Anthony. He can shoot the ball lights out from distance, but tends to play out of control. He is also wildly inconsistent. He'll score 25 one night, and only score 6 the next night. The Bulls need a consistent shooting guard who can start for them, and I don't know that J.R. Smith is it. Plus, the Bulls had J.R. Smith on their roster a couple of years ago, and they traded him before he ever played a game. I think they knew back then that they didn't want him. Why would they now?
3. O.J. Mayo: Mayo is a player I wouldn't mind having actually. He comes off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies, but that is a gross misuse of a talented player. Mayo would be averaging 20 points per game with alot of different teams in the NBA. He can shoot well from the perimeter, and has the ability to create his own shot. I don't know that he would be the best fit in Chicago, but he is a talented player that I am sure the Bulls are looking at.
4. Andre Iguodala: Iguodala is the most athletic player in this group. He is the starting shooting guard for the 76ers, and is probably the best defender out of this group. However, he is more of a slashing guard, who likes to get to the rim. There is nothing wrong with that at all, but the Bulls need a guy who can spot up and shoot from the perimeter with great consistency, and Iguodala just isn't that type of player.
In my opinion, I don't think the Bulls need to make a trade. They have only had their full complement of players for 9 games this season. Boozer has missed 17 games with injuries, and Noah has been out since mid-December, and isn't expected back until late February. When Noah and Boozer were both in the lineup, the Bulls were 7-2, and were winning games by double digits. Derrick Rose is quickly becoming one of the best players in the NBA, and the last thing the Bulls need to do is bring in a player who is going to take the ball out of his hands. The bench is deep now, and the Bulls should do everything they can to maintain the depth they have. They need to do this if they hope to compete with the Celtics in the next couple of seasons. I think the Bulls should look big picture. They have alot of young players on their team right now, and they will need time to learn how to win playoff games. Let this team take their lumps now. Use your draft picks well, grab a couple of good shooters, and sign a decent free agent if one comes available. But don't trade away good pieces of a good, young, improving team that is just starting to build good chemistry.
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