Carmelo Anthony: Why the Chicago Bulls Should, Shouldn’t Trade for Him

With the news that the New Jersey Nets have a deal in place that would send Carmelo Anthony to play for Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z, it appears as if it is now or never if the Bulls are truly interested in acquiring Carmelo.

The word on the street is that the Nuggets will not accept a deal from the Bulls if it does not include Joakim Noah.  With the Bulls training camp set to start Tuesday and Joakim Noah currently in France in what is thought to be a ploy to increase the contract offer that the Bulls have currently extended his way, who knows how it will play out.

Shouldn’t – Too Much Talent Given Up

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CHICAGO - APRIL 22: Joakim Noah #13 of the Chicago Bulls walks up the court after a foul against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at the United Center on April 22, 2010 in Chicago,

If the Bulls were to acquire Carmelo Anthony from the Nuggets, it would most likely require giving up Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Taj Gibson, along with some draft picks.  While the draft picks would not matter considering that the Bulls would more than likely be good and not have a shot at the lottery draft, it is solely a matter of draining their young talent.

Joakim Noah, arguably the second best center in the Eastern Conference after Dwight Howard, would be the centerpiece of this deal.  The Bulls cannot afford to give up his hustle attitude and gritty demeanor.

Taj Gibson was one of the late round steals of the 2009 draft and played very well in his rookie season.  He is long and showed great potential to be a quality post player for years to come.

Trading Luol Deng is the obvious choice because Carmelo is also a small forward.  Ridding the Bulls of his bad contract and injury prone career would not make Bulls fans mad one bit.

Shouldn’t – Contract Extension

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ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 14: Carmelo Anthony #15 of the Western Conference shakes hands with fans during introductions before the NBA All-Star Game, part of 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend at Cowboys Stadium on February 14, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. NOTE TO US

Although it would be dumb for anyone to think that Carmelo is going to be traded without guaranteeing his new team will have his services for a few season in the future, the possibility still remains.

The Nuggets may find a team that is desperate enough to acquire Anthony that they would not demand that he sign an extension before playing for his new team.

The Bulls are definitely not going to be desperate to trade for Melo and would definitely not do any trade that wouldn’t require a contract extension.

The Bulls also are going to have a tight payroll soon, with Derrick Rose due for a contract extension next summer.  Trading Luol Deng to Denver in any deal that would bring Carmelo to Chicago would be a start, but the Bulls may not like the potential financial situation they could be in by acquiring Carmelo.

Should – Top 5 Player Anyone?

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DENVER - APRIL 27: Carmelo Anthony #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks for a landing zone after dunking on the Los Angeles Clippers in the first quarter of game three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2006 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2006 at t

Carmelo Anthony, along with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant is a top five player in the NBA.  To think that he would not be able to help a team, especially a young team that is in need of an established superstar, is crazy.

To make the possibility of Carmelo in Chicago more interesting is that the rumor is Anthony would welcome a trade to the Windy City.

A potential lineup of Derrick Rose, Kyle Korver/Ronnie Brewer, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, and serviceable center would definitely induce more Bulls-Heat Eastern Conference rivalry conversations.

Should – Center Depth

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LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 5: Nene #31 of the Denver Nuggets shoots against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center January 5, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this phot

The Bulls do not like the idea of trading away their young center, but they may be able to skate by without him.  They already have Carlos Boozer, Kurt Thomas, Omar Asik, Taj Gibson, and Brian Scalabrine down low. 

Although none of those players have the size and ability of Noah, if the Bulls were to acquire a new center the hole created by Noah could be filled. 

The trade market for centers is not very definitive and the free agent pool is not very deep, but if the Bulls were able to acquire a center such as Marcin Gortat or Nene Hilario, Anthony's arrival in Chicago along with a serviceable center would make the idea of letting Noah go a little easier.