Bulls Rumors: Speculation on Taj Gibson, Tom Thibodeau and More
Pulling for the Chicago Bulls has been something of a roller-coaster ride in the 2014-15 season thus far.
They started as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference, had a number of injuries throughout the first half of the campaign, went through a rough patch in January where they went 2-6 but finally entered All-Star Weekend with four consecutive wins.
The team is fairly healthy now and appears to be hitting its stride, which raises some questions as Thursday’s trade deadline approaches. Should Chicago make a swap to bolster its chances at the NBA title? Would it be better off with the current roster and a long-overdue stretch of good health?
The front office will have to answer those questions, but there are plenty of Bulls rumors circulating around the league. Read on for the latest.
Taj Gibson
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times passed along an update on Taj Gibson: “A source indicated the Bulls have made no calls about trading Gibson, especially because they have health concerns about center Joakim Noah.”
There are a number of reasons why Chicago should not give up Gibson, so it is interesting that his name is even being thrown around in rumors.
For one, he just signed a four-year contract extension before last season that pays him less than $9 million a year. That is a fairly team-friendly price for someone like Gibson who can bang around down low for rebounds, score from the block and provide formidable interior defense as a rim-protector.
Cowley also mentions the fact that Gibson is the perfect security blanket for the Bulls when Joakim Noah misses time with injury. Head coach Tom Thibodeau suggested as much, via Cowley:
"Because of his ability to guard both positions [power forward and center] and to play both positions and [because] Jo’s still working his way back [from offseason knee surgery], I think Taj is critical for our team. Taj has played well. He’s been consistent. He’s been our best defender up front. That’s something that we need.
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The rumors may have been alarming for the fans, but Gibson isn’t going anywhere if the Bulls plan on making a run at the title this season.
Tom Thibodeau
Speaking of Thibodeau, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated noted that there is another team with its eyes on the Chicago head man: “Several league sources believe Orlando could make a run at Chicago’s Tom Thibodeau, should the relationship between Thibodeau and the Bulls become too toxic to continue.”
The “toxic” nature of that relationship between Thibodeau and the front office is alarming for Chicago supporters and could impact the long-term viability of the core currently on the team. Chemistry is an underrated aspect of any sport, and it is easy to wonder how a potentially close-knit group of players would react to the loss of Thibodeau to another team.
While he has not led the Bulls to any titles, he has kept the team in contention over the past few years through a seemingly endless parade of injuries. Superstar Derrick Rose’s injuries are the most well-documented in the league, but Noah, Jimmy Butler, Luol Deng (no longer on the team) and others have dealt with various ailments the past few seasons.
Thibodeau has been the one constant.
Chicago appears to play hard every night, is a near lock to make the postseason and has something of a reputation as a physically bruising defensive team. A lot of that can be traced back to the coach.
ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Ramona Shelburne noted that Arron Afflalo is a potential trade target for the Bulls before the deadline:
Afflalo would provide instant scoring punch to the backcourt and is averaging 14.5 points per game for the Denver Nuggets. He can stretch the floor with a three-point shot or attack the rim off the dribble and has plenty of postseason experience under his belt from earlier in his career.
What’s more, Butler leads the league in minutes per game at 39.3, and adding a shooting guard like Afflalo could take some of the burden off his shoulders and keep him fresh for the playoffs. Butler will likely be asked to guard the likes of LeBron James, Bradley Beal/John Wall, DeMar DeRozan and more in the postseason, so adding more depth at the position would certainly help.
However, a first-round pick is a steep price to pay, even if the Bulls do own all of their first-rounders in the years to come. Shelburne mentions the player option on Afflalo’s contract, so we could be talking about a half-year rental here.
The Bulls will have to decide if giving up a first-round pick is worth it given those circumstances.
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