Joakim Noah for Carmelo Anthony: The Chicago Bulls Should Learn From The Past

As the New Jersey Nets emerge as the front-runners for Carmelo Anthony, the Bulls are left in the “what could’ve, would’ve, and should’ve” state of mind.

Will missing out on Anthony be something the Bulls will regret, or not?

That question will have to wait.

Instead, the Bulls could learn some lessons from their past. But I’m not talking about obvious gimme of Kobe Bryant for Luol Deng.

Boggle through the Bulls’ past trades. Any regrets there or lessons to be learned then?

A decade ago, the Bulls used their first round pick to draft Elton Brand, hoping he would lead the post-Jordan dynasty and possibly succeed His Airness himself.

That idea barely lasted two years, and the Bulls were quick to ship Brand off to the Clippers.

Why? Bad management, maybe.

In return, the Bulls held hopes for Tyson Chandler, and held, and held. Held.

In the meantime, Chicago watched as Brand soaked up the sun in LA with his two All-Star appearances.

Chandler did his duties as a Bull. He worked effortlessly during the off-season, opposed to his buddy Eddy Curry. But he never became as decorated as Brand.

Probably the main difference between Chandler and Brand is that Chandler receives more love from his teams than Brand, who left LA on a bad note, and 76ers fans seem apathetic to him.

Still, looking back, trading Brand for Chandler should’ve made the Bulls’ management hit their heads against a wall over and over. It was a regrettable move, at that time.

It’s difficult to say where the Bulls could’ve gone had they held onto Brand. It’s interesting to think about it, but now, Derrick Rose is the face of the franchise, no doubt.

‘Melo or no ‘Melo, Rose is it.

The idea—for whatever fantasy—of trading Rose for ‘Melo is a no-no.

But Noah for ‘Melo?

The Bulls dealt Brand, a future All-Star, for a high school pick.

Unlike Brand, Noah wasn’t much of a spark from the get-go until the end of his first season, when the Bulls and Celtics went back-and-forth in the playoffs.

Brand, on the other hand, walked straight into stardom, quickly leading the Bulls, averaging 20 points per game and 10 rebounds per game. But he just couldn’t turn the Bulls losing record around by himself.

Now, the idea of having Carmelo is slowly slipping away, but it’s still hanging out there. The Bulls aren’t tugged between swapping go-to guys.

Brand was their man back then. Rose is the one now and will continue to be. But Noah isn’t.

The Bulls are banking on Noah’s potential—and they have reason to.

So what are the history lessons to be learned from a decade ago between Brand and Chandler?

Simple, and it’s not as hard as I made it seem.

The Bulls just have to make sure that Noah produces just as much as Carmelo does in whichever team (Nets) he goes to.

Not equally or up to expectations, but exceedingly, this very season.

John Paxson better not be banging his head against his lovely furnished desk if the ‘Melo’s new team suddenly surpasses them in the conference.

And the Bulls better not lose to whatever team ‘Melo is on.