Bulls Rumors: Latest on Carlos Boozer, Derrick Rose and More

The Chicago Bulls are skirting the line between token playoff team and actual contender to the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference crown.

One big question mark will be answered with the eventual return of superstar Derrick Rose, but the roster still has room for improvement with the Feb. 21 trading deadline rapidly approaching.

Let’s take a look at some potential transactions and other buzz surrounding the organization in Wednesday’s rumor roundup.

Carlos Boozer

Earlier in the month there was much talk about the Bulls potentially dealing overpaid PF Carlos Boozer to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for sweet-shooting big man Andrea Bargnani.

However, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears, there hasn’t been any talk on that front for over three weeks.

This doesn’t mean the deal is off the table, but rather both sides could be exercising caution and waiting to see how the respective rosters look a bit closer to the deadline.

It’s an intriguing trade that would provide more offensive firepower for Chicago and a change of scenery for two players that haven’t quite lived up to expectations. We suspect we may here a bit more concerning this hypothetical trade over the next week or so.

Derrick Rose

Rose made it clear that he would not be returning from his ACL injury suffered in last year’s playoffs until he is fully, “110 percent” healthy.

Because of this, he would not put forth any possible date of a return, but a source close to the situation informed Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today that the star point guard isn’t exactly close to suiting up.

This is a bit concerning for Bulls fans, but considering the club is currently 30-21 and right in the thick of the postseason hunt, there is no reason to rush Rose back—potentially harming the franchise’s future in the process.

J.J. Redick

The Chicago team brass has long been intrigued by Orlando Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick, a sniper from long range who can stretch the defense and open up space for D-Rose to drive.

There’s a chance the organization once again makes a play for the 28-year-old scorer, as Alex Kennedy of RealGM is reporting he is on the Bulls’ radar.

During the 2012-13 campaign, Redick is averaging a solid 15.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds for the lowly Magic, which amount to solid contributions considering his $6 million salary.

Because this is the last year of Redick’s contract, the former Duke star will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer and would be free to sign wherever he pleases.

If the Magic do not want to risk losing him for nothing, it would make sense to grab some value and flip him to an interested party like Chicago.