About two months ago on my FOX Sports blog, I suggested that the Miami Heat should entertain a trade scenario with the Bulls that would send Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion to Chicago. Of course, I was ripped to shreds by many readers for even insinuating such blasphemy.
Now, several news outlets have reported that the Bulls are not only open to trading their No. 1 draft pick to the Heat for Wade, but they have already made the proposal public knowledge (unofficially, of course).
Wade's response to the rumors: "This is a business, anything can happen and we as players have no control over that type of thing".
Hmmmm.
Couple that with the fact that the Heat superstar has already given his stamp of approval to new Bulls skipper Doug Collins, and I say the writing is already on the wall.
Many casual NBA fans can't seem to fathom the Heat trading the guard who many thought would be the cornerstone of Miami's franchise for years to come.
However, not only does the trade make sense to me, but it should help both teams reclaim their respectability and move back into the realm of playoff contenders.
The trade scenario I proposed was as follows:
Chicago gets: Wade, Marion and the Heat's No. 2 pick.
Miami gets: Gordon, Deng, Duhon, Thebolosha, Gooden and Chicago's No. 1 pick.
Don't get it?
Let me explain.
The Bulls are faced with the fact that both Gordon and Deng decided not to sign contract extensions last season, and the team eventually tuned out former coach Scott Skiles.
When Wade and LeBron James signed their extensions two seasons ago, both made it a point to not include the extra year that fellow 2003 draftee Carmelo Anthony signed. This allowed them to be in a position to test the free agent market in five years instead of six.
Most people in the know are already resigned to the fact that in two seasons King James will be joining his pal Jay Z in the new Brooklyn arena (sporting the new Rocawear uniforms no less). So where would Wade be trying to get to? Why, home to Chicago, of course.
Why should the Heat wait for two uneventful seasons to begin shopping Wade and lose leverage in any trade discussions?
Wade is scheduled to be playing for his third coach in four seasons with the Heat, who mortgaged their immediate future with the Shaquille O'Neal trade.
Now that Shaq has bailed out on them, there are no titles in sight, especially with Boston vaulting to the top of the pecking order in the Eastern Conference.
Much like the Pau Gasol trade spurred a flurry of trades by the Lakers' Western Conference rivals, teams in the East must now figure out a way to join the Celtics and Pistons in the hunt for a trip the NBA Finals.
Even if the Heat stood pat, drafted Beasley and re-signed Marion, the rest of their roster doesn't have enough parts to challenge the top dogs in their conference.
if Chicago were to sign Gordon and Deng with the intent of trading them to Miami, both teams would then have enough pieces to crack the upper tier of the Eastern Conference.
The Cavs are a flawed team, the Wizards are about to spiral out of control (especially if Arenas bolts this summer), and Orlando still hasn't shown the kind of moxie to challenge for the Eastern Conference crown.
The trade I proposed would give the Bulls a starting lineup of:
Hinrich - Wade - Beasley - Marion - Thomas and a bench of Noah, Nocioni and Hughes.
The Heat could start:
Rose - Gordon - Deng - Haslem - Blount and a bench of Davis, Duhon, Gooden, Cook and possibly Mourning.
Each team would field much better teams than they would if they stood pat.
Many times as fans, we fail to see our teams with the big picture in mind, choosing rather to hold onto our favorites in the hopes of some miraculous resurrection by a star player. Minnesota held onto Garnett for two seasons too long, when THEY could've gotten Gordon, Deng and Tyrus Thomas for KG.
Similarly, the Bulls could've gotten Pau Gasol for Gordon and Deng at the start of last season.
Maybe the Bulls have learned from the mistake of being trigger-shy and as we've already seen, Pat Riley understands the business of the league as well as anyone.
Neither team should force their new coaches to deal with disgruntled players and figure out how to keep peace in the locker rooms. Give the new coaches a fresh start and, if this trade goes down, new hope as well.
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4 months ago
Idiotic.
4 months ago
if miami makes this trade for a beasley or rose then pat riley and the heat organization need to slap themselves. Don't forget he did bring a title to Miami a couple of years ago....
4 months ago
THIS IS 100% LUDACRIS!
4 months ago
As a Chicago fan, I would absolutely LOVE to see this go down, but I think that Miami would just be hit too much by that trade and they wouldn't pull the trigger on something that one sided.
4 months ago
Since Dwayne Wade is one of my favorite players, I would love to see him move and have a better situation. However I have my doubts about him getting traded because he is the heart and soul of the team, not to mention the fan favorite, and the only reason fans kept going to Heat games last season. The Bulls won't give up Rose, period. Why would they give up the best player on the board? If Wade goes anywhere, its not going to be Chicago.
4 months ago
While the possibility of D-Wade returning to Chicago, you make some key errors.
One, you say even if they draft Beasley, keep Wade and re-sign Marion, they couldn't compete in the east. You're telling me that they can't compete with a top-5 guard, a top 10 forward who is also a top 10 defensive player and can shoot 3's, and a young phenom, they can't compete in the East? If any basketball team can't compete (especially in the (l)east), then they shouldn't be playing professional basketball.
Also, you give lineups as:
Chicago: Hinrich - Wade - Beasley - Marion - Thomas and a bench of Noah, Nocioni and Hughes.
Miami: Rose - Gordon - Deng - Haslem - Blount and a bench of Davis, Duhon, Gooden, Cook and possibly Mourning.
You're telling me the Bulls wouldn't be better with Rose, Gordon, Deng, Noah, and anyone else? Which they don't have to do a single thing to make happen? You're crazy.
Udonis Haslem shouldn't be playing any key part in anyone's dream scenario.
4 months ago
while i like the idea of getting both Dwade and marion, i would hate to see the Bulls lose out on such a dynamic player in Rose. I think he's to good to pass up
4 months ago
HA!
this is too funny
alert the press, this guy is a basketball Savant!
Let's point out more key errors
There is this thing, that you may have never seen in fantasy basketball, but in the league where they actaully play basketball and they have these things called contracts and a salary cap, you have to match salaries. 17.5+ 10+ 9.5= 37 million? The bulls offer you propose does not match that. And your forgetting one thing, any trade that Miami does will include Mark Blount. You want that Number 2 pick mark will be in that trade. You want Wade, deal with mark. You want a 40 oz of steel reserve? Your getting Mark Blount.
Please don't waste peoples time with stuff like this.
4 months ago
Even if Miami were to move the face of its current franchise, do you think it would happen while his value was at an all-time low? Unless they knew he was damaged goods past the brink of return, in which case a team would have to be wary of why he is so available in the first place. Interesting discussion though.
4 months ago
As much as I would like to see Wade with the Bulls I cant see the trade as proposed here ever going down. But I think if a third team was possibly brought in to the fray there might be a way to get this done. Would Miami have to be crazy to trade away the face of their franchise and the real attraction for them?
That bulls lineup does look mighty good though.
4 months ago
DIS WOULD BE 1 OF THE STUPIDEST TRADES IN NBA HISTORY OK THIS WOULD BE THE STUPIDEST TRADE IN SPORTS HISTORY 1ST OF ALL DIS WOULDNT HAPPEN DENG AND GORDON WON'T RESIGN AND MIAMI IS STILL LEFT WITH DAT WACK ASS CENTER MARK BLOUNT ONLY WAY I ACCEPT DIS TRADE IS
MIAMI RECIVE-BEN GORDON LUOL DENG JOAKIM TYRUS KIRK AND THE FIRST PICK
CHICAGO GET-D.WADE SHAWN MARION MARK BLOUNT
MIAMI THEN TRADE TO MINNESOTA
T.WOLVES GET KIRK HINRICH THE SECOND PICK AND TYRUS THOMAS
MIAMI GET-AL JEFFERSON THE THIRD PICK AND COREY BREWER
SO IF MIAMI WAS ABLE TO DO THAT WITCH I DOUBT WE WILL EVA TRADE WADE PERIOD BUT THEY WOULD START pgDERRICK ROSE sgCOREY BREWER sfLUOL DENG`pfAL JEFFSON c(THINK IM CRAZY TRADE THE THIRD PICK AND BEN GORDON FOR DRUM ROLL PLEASE ARME STOUDMIRE OR DWIGHT HOWARD AT ARE CENTER LOL YEA RIGHT) SO ROSE-BREWER-DENG-AL-HOWARD/STOUDIMIRE
SO MIAMI HEAT NBA CHAMPIONS BUT ANYWAY WADE AND MARION AINT GOIN NO WERE BUT SOUTH BEACH ON A DAY OFF.....
from 4 months ago
Yeah, two things made me not even read your comment. All caps, and putting 'd' instead of 'th'.
At least be consistent, you should put 'THE DIRD PICK AND BEN GORDON FOR DRUM ROLL PLEASE...' and "TYRUS DOMAS"
ok, I admit, i did read the comment.
4 months ago
Yeah, I hear ya'lls venom, but we'll see if D Wade is still in a Miami Heat uniform when October rolls around.And to the gentleman who said the salaries don't match, do some research. Gordon and Deng have new contracts coming up. THAT is the key to the whole deal.
4 months ago
You're an idiot, that scenario is so one sided. You're telling me that this is a balanced trade:
Chicago: Hinrich - Wade - Beasley - Marion - Thomas and a bench of Noah, Nocioni and Hughes.
Miami: Rose - Gordon - Deng - Haslem - Blount and a bench of Davis, Duhon, Gooden, Cook and possibly Mourning.
Blount and Haslem are you kidding Haslem is not a scorer he is a hustle and heart type of player and blount should not be a starter.
How can you compare these two top fives, there is no comparison, and no realistic trade for any sane GM or Coach!
4 months ago
This trade make complete sense to me.
Any "Sane GM" would know that if your in Miami's shoes, the trade senario looks full of potential. Most of the guys they would recieve are no where near 30 and have plenty of up-side to them.
It's not like this trade makes Chicago look so immortal. They will still need to find a true center but, they will still be able to compete in the NBA.
4 months ago
I have been a Heat fan since they entered the league. If Chicago was willing to pull the trigger on a deal that would give Miami the 1st and 2nd picks in the draft accompanied by a shuffling of some other notables and bench players, its a win-win situation. The Heat should not even consider this trade unless they were assured that they would get BOTH Rose and Beasley/Mayo. However, Heat fans need to think if Wade, with the team he has now, or even with a high priced free-agent (ala Gilbert Arenas) added to the roster, would be able to get past Boston or what could look to be a re-tooled Pistons team next year. I love D-Wade and will never forget the joy of him leading Miami to their first title, but a trade just might make sense. My only hesitation is that Spolestra is a first year coach. Does he have the ability to immediately make an impression on rooks, or will he get run over? Only time will tell.
4 months ago
i think marion just complicates things with the contract. you send wade, pick 2, and blount in exchange for pick 1, gordon, noah, hinrich, and possibly another bench guy like nocioni or duhon. no matter what happens it works out for the bulls. stand pat and you get derrick rose. make the trade, you get dwayne, the possibility of still getting rose but beasley isn't a bad pick at all, and you get rid of gordon who doesnt play ANY defense, and turns the ball over every 3 possesions.
is miami probably going to lean towards rose if this happens?
4 months ago
If I was Pat Riley or John Paxson, I would give this trade serious consideration.
The Chicago Bulls will clearly come out on the better end, but it gives the Miami Heat a chance to build around talent.
I still see a budding star in Luol Deng and maybe a change of scenery will bring that out.
However, if the Heat can find a suitable point guard (maybe they get that with Rose), let Jason Williams handle backup duties, find a third 20-point contributor and some bench scorers, they're back in business. That would require some serious luck and persausion.
My take: when you win less than 20 games two years after hoisting the Larry O' Brien trophy, no scenario is untouchable.
3 months ago
i want pax to send the #1 pick, hughes and sign and trade gordon for wade and blount.
www.tradeforwade.com
3 months ago
UR AN IDIOT, WHY WOULD THE HEAT DO SOMETHING SO DUMB. IF THE HEAT DRAFT BEASLEY # 2 OVERALL AND POSSIBLY TRADE MARION TO THE BULLS FOR HINRICH SINCE THE BULLS WOULDN,T NEED HIM ANYMORE WITH ROSE, THEN THE HEAT WOULD HAVE A STARTING LINEUP OF:
KIRK HINRICH
DWANE WADE
MICHAEL BEASLEY
UDANIS HASLEM
MARK BLOUNT
WICH IS TEN TIMES BETTER THEN THE CRAP U SAID!!! MIAMI WOULD HAVE THE ROSTER SET WITH ONLY THE NEED OF A SOLID DEFENSIVE CENTER. GOOD THING UR NOT RUNNING THE HEAT!
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