NBA Trade Rumors: Why the Bulls Must Hold on to Rip Hamilton
Now that O.J. Mayo has opted to sign with the Mavericks, the Bulls' desperation to move Rip Hamilton should be a lot less pressing.
Now, a move may not even make sense at all.
This weekend, the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson reported that the Bulls were interested in shopping Rip Hamilton, especially if there was a need to move some pieces around in order to create more playing time in the event of an O.J. Mayo acquisition. Johnson wrote:
"League sources said the Bulls have shopped Richard Hamilton’s expiring $5 million deal, which carries a mere $1 million guarantee for 2013-14. Thus far, there have been no takers.
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As it stands, the Bulls are unlikely to see Derrick Rose return to action following knee surgery until midway through the season, at the earliest. They barely have a backcourt, or one with any experience whatsoever. They need someone, anyone, back there who can score.
Granted, Hamilton isn't the most appealing candidate, given his trouble staying healthy. He may be an expiring contract, but he at least gives Chicago something to work with while it waits for Rose to return.
Last season, the 34-year-old shooting guard played in just 28 games for the Bulls, missing chunks of time because of shoulder, groin and thigh injuries, according to ESPN.com. Even as the shoulder injury limited him through March, he admitted that he'd likely have to play out the rest of the season without being fully recovered, no matter what.
You can't stake your season on someone like that—and the Bulls were hoping they could when they signed him prior to the 2011-12 season—but after the long offseason, made even longer by the Bulls' early exit from the 2012 postseason, there's hope for Hamilton.
And on a Bulls team that has already lost C.J. Watson, Ronnie Brewer, Derrick Rose (for now) and possibly John Lucas III, they need that hope.
Chicago could shop Hamilton to create cap space. But who are they getting at this point, now that Mayo is no longer an option? What offers are on the table? The Bulls have very few options, and now is not the time to get hasty—not when they barely have anyone left to man the backcourt while Rose continues his rehabilitation.
Of course, the Bulls could just call the upcoming season a wash, trade Hamilton and start rebuilding, but they're not quite at that point. Yet.
Hamilton is no longer the player who's going to give you 18 or 20 points per game, but if healthy, he could give the Bulls 15. It's not preferable. O.J. Mayo would have been preferable. Derrick Rose would be preferable.
Unless some team miraculously offers Chicago an up-and-coming star guard in exchange for their injury-prone veteran and his expiring contract, they might as well hold on to him for the first few months of the season and hope for the best.
There aren't any other options at this point, and now, the Bulls need him.
