What If Elton Brand Never Got Traded in 2001? Part 1

What if on that faithful night back in 2001 Jerry Krause didn't trade Elton Brand, the corner piece of the franchise for the right to draft Tyson Chandler? But if instead of trying to build around two 18-year old 7 footers, he drafted for need instead of him trying to prove he won the championships.

I give Jerry Krause a lot of credit because he found the parts to fit around Michael Jordan but after that he wasn't on the court and he wasn't on the sideline drawing up plays.

The best GMs are the ones working in the shadows trying to stay out of the spotlight. But with this trade Jerry turned the spotlight into a bullseye.

I wish I could go back and undo the draft of the year before but that might be pushing it. This was the moment that set the Bulls back. The 2000-2001 season was another mess for the rebuilding Bulls but their were signs of hope.

A young team that maybe some pieces were starting to fall into place. Brand being the low post scorer, Miller being the outside shooting bigman, Crawford's shooting and Artest just being tough as nails guarding whoever he found in front of him. Also had Ron Mercer who averaged almost 20 points a game.

The 2001 draft had a lot of talent. It was the year of the 7 footer with high schoolers Brown, Chandler and Curry (a local Chicago kid, the type has passed over before just from being from Chicago) and European Pau Gasol.

Looking back it also produced the likes of Jason Richardson, Joe Johnson, Shane Battier, Richard Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Mehmet Okur and Agent Zero Gilbert Arenas.

Looking back the Bulls needed either a real point guard because Jamal had already proven he could not run the point or a shooting guard who could maybe take some of the ball handling away from him.

I'm not going to go and say the Bulls should have taken Tony Parker who was drafted 28 overall but taking Joe Johnson who was drafted 10th wouldn't be a stretch. With the Bulls second pick which was the 30th pick I would have selected Okur as a project to keep over in Europe for a few years instead of having him sit at the end of the bench.

The Bulls big free agent signing of the offseason was Eddie Robinson who was a total waste. Robinson was signed after Jamal Crawford had torn his ACL during the summer.

So going into the season my new looks Bulls would have had Joe Johnson, Ron Mercer, Ron Artest, Brand and Miller starting with Marcus Fizer, Eddie Robinson and the Oak Tree Charles Oakley on the bench with the likes of AJ Guyton and Fred Hoiberg.

The team would have been set back due to the Crawford injury and would have been seller at the trade deadline but this is where we undo the second worst move, the trading of Artest, Mercer and Miller to the Pacer for Jalen Rose and Travis Best.

In my world this trade doesn't happen and the Bulls wait till Crawford rejoins the team in March and plays out the rest of the season. This season proves a lot. First Tim Floyd got fired and replaced with Bill Cartwright and also shows Eddie Robinson was a bust and Crawford is a scoring guard not a point guard.

The 2002 draft was looking like a great one with Yao Ming, the giant center from China and Jay Williams, the point guard from Duke. With the Bulls again finishing out of the playoffs they entered the Lottery and againt struck gold in getting the 2nd pick in the draft.

In part 2 I will cover the 2002 draft and the events leading up to the 2003 NBA Draft which was the start of good times for the Bulls.