Chicago Bulls Must Run from Andrea Bargnani Trade Talks as Fast as They Can

Run. Just keeping running and never look back, Forrest Gump style.

That's what the Chicago Bulls should do if approached by the Toronto Raptors looking for an Andrea Bargnani-Carlos Boozer swap.

I couldn't think of a worse deal. When you put this into ESPN's Trade Machine: It reads, "Stop it!"

The deal just doesn't make sense for too many reasons, giving life to the notion that Toronto is attempting to raise Bargnani's perceived trade value and make him sound coveted.

One of the Bulls greatest strengths is their interior toughness. Trading Boozer for Bargnani would be like chopping a steel leg off a chair and replacing it with a floppy hot dog.

If it's about the money, the Bulls are better of amnestying Boozer and using the roughly $22 million they'd have to pay Bargnani over the next two years and spend it on someone else.

While the Bulls could use Bargnani's three-point shooting, there are easier ways to go about getting it.

Boozer is playing some of his best ball in years, and he's meshing with Joakim Noah and Luol Deng. You'd like to think some of the success the Bulls have endured has something to do with Boozer's 15.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Chicago could use some frontcourt depth behind Joakim Noah at the 5, but not if it means up giving an integral cog of the win-now nucleus.

When Derrick Rose comes back, the Bulls have a roster that's capable of competing for a title. The Boozer-Noah duo gives them an edge inside over the Miami Heat and New York Knicks. By breaking that up, they'd be neutralizing an advantage.

I wouldn't be too concerned if you're a Chicago fan. I'd have a hard time believing Tom Thibodeau would sign off on a deal involving one of his impact players for an injury-prone jump-shooter who doesn't D up.

We've heard better trade rumors over the years. Expect this one to just blow away.