Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Why the Chicago Bulls Are the Right Choice

After denying Chicago at first, there are rumors that Dwight Howard has added the Chicago Bulls to his list. 

There are questions about whether Chicago has the assets to make it work for Orlando. There is also questions of whether Dwight Howard has the motivation to come to Chicago and team up with Derrick Rose. 

In my opinion, there is no question. Dwight Howard's smartest plan for both himself and the Orlando Magic would be to come to Chicago via trade. 

Adidas Superteam

Some have speculated that the combination of these two players would not be a good fit for Adidas, as both players have big time deals with the shoe and apparel provider. However I disagree; I think that this team could be a great marketing decision for Adidas.

It's true that marketing deals are usually more effective when they are spread throughout the league. However with a team like Chicago, this deal could work.

Chicago is the home of the past superstar of Nike, Michael Jordan. The Bulls have a wide-ranging fanbase that includes a worldwide following, a multi-million population in Chicago and an emerging presence in China thanks to extended marketing trips from Derrick Rose. 

If Dwight Howard were to sign with Chicago, Adidas could turn them into a marketing powerhouse. There is no doubt in my mind that they would take over Chicago, the center of Air Jordan. That could be huge for Adidas' image. 

Assets

When teams make a trade, they look for three factors: young talent, cap relief and draft picks. The Chicago Bulls actually have the ability to give Orlando all three. 

In terms of young talent, the Bulls have a core of solid young players that they could give up to get Howard. Players that could be included in the trade could be Joakim Noah, Omer Asik, Taj Gibson, Luol Deng, Jimmy Butler or Nikola Mirotic. All six of these guys are 26 or under and could be franchise cornerstones for Orlando when the next star arrives. 

In terms of cap flexibility, the Bulls have three unguaranteed contracts in C.J Watson, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer that total approximately $12.5 million in cap room. The Bulls could potentially use this to absolve the bad contract of Hedo Turkoglu.

In terms of draft picks, the Bulls have a Charlotte pick that, if it pans out, could be an unprotected pick in 2016. That would not be a point where the Magic would hope to draft their superstar, but could hope to draft a sidekick for a new superstar potentially, so the pick holds value. 

Marketing Opportunities

Dwight Howard is already thought of as one of the most likable guys in the league, miles ahead of guys like LeBron James and Derrick Rose. The latter two receive many promotions since they are the faces of the league and the huge Chicago market respectively. If Dwight Howard wants to become a marketing icon, then he should join the Chicago Bulls and start winning. 

Just from being the face of the Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose has received numerous marketing opportunities. Right now, Derrick has deals with Powerade, Force Factor, Wilson, Skull Candy and the big one, Adidas. Dwight Howard is also sponsored by Adidas, but Derrick has become the face of the company's basketball department after his MVP season. 

A 2011 study by Sports Illustrated estimated that Dwight Howard made approximately $12 million in endorsement deals that season, making him the third top NBA earner in terms of salary and endorsements combined. Derrick Rose on the other hand just signed two massive deals this summer: a contract with the Chicago Bulls that will pay him around $19 million and a ten year shoe deal with Adidas that will pay him $25 million a year for the next 10 years. And that doesn't even include his deals with the aforementioned companies: just Adidas. 

And the effect has been immediate. At my local Foot Locker (which is equidistant from Chicago and Orlando) you saw the new AdiZero Rose 2.5s arrive within weeks of their release. The only time I have ever seen a pair of AdiPower Howards was when Dwight Howard was in store doing a signing during All-Star weekend. 

Like I said, the marketing opportunities in Chicago are just better, especially if the Bulls win. With his positive attitude and charming personality, there's no doubt that Dwight Howard could get in on the action. 

Winning

Dwight Howard claimed that his ultimate goal is to win. This is where he proves it. 

The Chicago Bulls are in a unique situation. They have a wide ranging set of assets, and those assets are not necessarily part of their core. This can be generally attributed to the fact that Derrick Rose has such a major role to the team, and he will not be traded. Even if the Bulls trade the assets necessary to get Dwight Howard, they could still be top-of-the-line contenders right away. 

The Clippers would be able to trade DeAndre Jordan, but they would not have much else to give Orlando outside of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The Lakers have Andrew Bynum to give, but really nothing outside of him and barely any supporting cast for Dwight once he arrives. The Nets have Brook Lopez, but they don't have much else and it would be Deron, Dwight and no other effective players. The Mavericks really have nothing to trade; they would have to sign him in the offseason, and the big contract of Dirk is actually becoming a hindrance to their future success.

The Bulls on the other hand have Joakim Noah, Omer Asik, Taj Gibson, Luol Deng, Nikola Mirotic, Jimmy Butler and $14 million in expiring or unguaranteed contracts. They also have a Charlotte Bobcats pick that has the potential to become unprotected by 2016. Seeing the Bobcats play now, it becomes clear that the Bobcats are on no road to recovery, so this could be an asset. 

The Bulls by far give Dwight Howard the best chance to win. 

What Is the Trade?

If I'm Orlando, and I had the green light to trade Dwight to Chicago, I would ask for Joakim Noah, Omer Asik, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, C.J Watson, John Lucas III and the Charlotte Bobcats pick for Dwight Howard, Von Wafer and Hedo Turkoglu. 

This is a deal that Orlando would love. They get a young center who could be around and be effective, even if it takes a few years for a new superstar to arrive in Orlando. He is a guy who you need on your team to do all the little things. Omer Asik is a young center who has starting caliber potential right now. 

The Bulls would also be able to take on the contract of Hedo Turkoglu without Orlando having to match any long term salary. Chicago would also be able to offer Orlando a pretty decent draft pick in the future. 

The question actually is whether it's worth giving up so many role players for Howard. The Bulls would have only Richard Hamilton, Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler at the shooting guard and small forward positions. They would also only have Dwight at the center position and Taj Gibson at the power forward position. I think Chicago would likely then sign Joel Przybilla and Leon Powe to fill out the roster.

If you can get a true superstar at the center position, you have to try and do it. If the Bulls can bring in a third team and get another wing in return, that would be ideal, but it's something Chicago would likely do. And it would make them the favorite for the next half a decade.