NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls Must Swap Carlos Boozer for Pau Gasol

The Chicago Bulls have a chance to make a huge move that could change their fortunes in 2012, and beyond. Marc Stein of ESPN reports:

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The Chicago Bulls are exploring avenues to acquire Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol before Thursday's trade deadline, according to sources close to the situation.

The Bulls have long hoped to wedge themselves into the trade running for Orlando Magic starDwight Howard, but sources told ESPN.com that Howard's well-chronicled lack of interest in a trade to Chicago has prompted the Bulls to switch their focus to Gasol in advance of Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline.

Sources say that the Lakers, however, have limited interest in the players Chicago would be offering, starting with Bulls forward Carlos Boozer.

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Understandably, the Lakers won't take Boozer straight up for Pau Gasol—they and everyone with two eyes knows Boozer is a downgrade.

Stein suggests the Bulls get a third team involved, and I concur. 

This deal would make the Bulls better instantly on both ends. I can show you the stats, but it only tells half the story.

Of course, Gasol is averaging 16.6 points and 10.6 rebounds to Boozer's 15.6 and 8.1 boards. But if you watch them play, you know Gasol is more than one point and 2.5 rebounds better than Boozer.

Boozer is a horrid defender, don't let the one steal per night fool you. That' s just a product of the reaching he does after he has again failed to play defense with his feet.

There is no common stat for that.

He constantly has to subbed out at the end of games for defensive purposes. On what planet should a player being paid $15 million per year have to be used in that matter at the end of a game.

Taj Gibson is a nice player, but there is no way he should be playing the minutes he does. If Gasol were a Bull, he wouldn't be.

Boozer is only 6'9", with short arms and he has no explosion, thus he gets rejected more than a ham sandwich at a vegetarian's house.

There is no common stat for this.

Gasol is 7'0'', with long arms, and he doesn't have nearly as much difficulty converting close to the rim. To top it off, Gasol is only one year older.

Gasol would give the Bulls a true go-to man down the stretch of games that doesn't have to be lifted for a defensive replacement. Though he wouldn't be the Bulls' best player, that is still Derrick Rose, he'd likely be the leading scorer.

Rose would feed the post more if he trusted the guy posting up. He would trust Gasol.

He would give the Bulls offense a dimension the Miami Heat haven't had to defend. Since last year, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have had great games against the Bulls, but Chris Bosh has eaten Boozer alive.

Look at these numbers.

In nine games since Bosh has been in Miami and Boozer in Chicago:

Bosh: 21 points and 7.6 rebounds per game

Boozer: 13.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

This matchup is killing the Bulls as much as any other. The Bulls must attack Miami inside, and Gasol gives them the best shot at that.

I'm not crazy enough to include Deng in this deal, but Boozer and others would certainly be fair game. Amidst the talk of softness and other overblown rhetoric, people have forgotten how good Gasol is.

Put him in a Bulls' uniform and the league will be reminded.