NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Players Chicago Bulls Need To Beat Miami Heat
NBA trade rumors are going to be pretty rampant up until the clock strikes 3 p.m. on February 24, the league's trade deadline date.
In the East, the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat look like the class of the conference, and the Orlando Magic have already made their move with a pair of blockbuster trades.
But the Chicago Bulls currently hold the third-best record in the East, and they're not too far behind the Heat. Thanks largely to MVP candidate Derrick Rose, the Bulls are 20-10 and have looked particularly legit ever since the return of Carlos Boozer.
But every good team is always looking for ways to become better. Here are 10 players that the Bulls could acquire to boost them over the Heat in the East.
10. Richard Hamilton
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I was very hesitant to add Richard Hamilton to this list. As you may also feel, he may be a trade idea, but he's not necessarily a good trade idea.
Yes, the Bulls need a shooting guard. And yes, Hamilton has been a very good player in his career, and his services would certainly be an upgrade for the Bulls' notoriously weak rotation of Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer.
But because the Bulls are in this thing for the long haul, Hamilton's age and injury issues potentially make him a serious liability, which is something that no team needs.
Put simply, Hamilton's an option, but the Bulls can do better.
9. Vince Carter
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It's not every day that a guy gets traded but has still only seen action with a single team. That's what injuries can do for you, I guess.
Yes, Carter has already been traded once this season, but one gets the sense that the Suns really aren't all that thrilled to have him. After all, they're in dire need of a youth movement, and Carter is hardly a step in the right direction in that regard.
True, Carter is just as old and rickety as Hamilton. But as far as the numbers are concerned, Carter has also been more productive this season than Hamilton, which I suppose would make him the better of two poor options, so to speak.
But is Carter good enough to push the Bulls past the Heat? Well, the Magic didn't think so. Nevertheless, he's still better than what the Bulls have at shooting guard right now.
8. Courtney Lee
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The word from the Chicago Tribune a couple days ago was that Lee is already on the Bulls' list of options to fix their shooting guard woes. Considering what Lee brings to the table, this would indeed make sense.
If the Bulls' primary option is spreading the floor for Rose, Lee is definitely a guy who could do that. He's shooting better than 45 percent from beyond the arc, and is also a very good defender.
But because he's averaging just 19 minutes a game this season, the question is naturally whether or not he's really cut out to be a starter, much less a major piece for a playoff run. On balance, he seems like a fallback option, not unlike Hamilton and Carter.
So like Hamilton and Carter, the Bulls can do better.
7. Daniel Gibson
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Gibson has been one of the only people in the greater Cleveland area that has actually benefited from LeBron's departure. He's playing nearly 30 minutes a game this year, and is averaging a career high 13.8 points per game. He's also shooting threes as well as he ever has.
Nothing to write home about maybe, but he still represents an upgrade on what the Bulls already possess. And the good thing about Gibson is not only that he could be had, but that the Bulls wouldn't have to break the bank in order to get him.
But while he would make them better, would he make them better than the Heat?
Only if he were to blossom into a player that he's probably not, which would mean that the Bulls would be taking a gamble with him.
6. Stephen Jackson
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The word out of Yahoo! Sports today is that the Bulls are already discussing a trade for Jackson. And as I'm sure they must have also figured, this is a good fit.
One area that the Bulls could stand to improve is their three-point shooting, and Jackson can certainly do that. He's shooting a career-high 37.4 percent from beyond the arc, and would definitely help spread the floor for the Bulls' big playmakers.
The one hesitation the Bulls might have about this is that Jackson does tend to get content with just camping behind the arc. If they're looking for somebody that's more than just a shooter, they could probably do better than Jackson too.
5. Jamal Crawford
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Another shooting guard the Bulls could target is Atlanta's Jamal Crawford.
As you well know, Crawford was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year last season, and is in the last year of his contract. The Hawks probably aren't going to look to re-sign him given the amount of money he'll be looking for, so a trade is not out of the question.
Crawford's numbers are slightly down this year, as he's averaging just 14.6 points per game after averaging 18 or more over the previous four seasons. But he is of course still a very talented player, and is an obvious upgrade over Bogans and Brewer.
The problem is that he's obviously not going to acquired cheaply. The Hawks are also very much in the mix in the East, and they would really have to have their socks knocked off by any trade offer coming from a conference rival. So it's a good fit, but it's also a long shot.
4. J.R. Smith
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The Nuggets say they want Smith to stay, and Smith has also said he wants to stay. Meanwhile, nobody who follows the NBA closely at all believes either of them.
While Carmelo Anthony is the obvious prize on Denver's roster, Smith is also a good catch. He's a very good outside shooter, and the simple change of scenery scenario could be one that makes him a star.
Smith's contract is due to expire after this season, but his addition need not be a rental. Even if they don't get to the Finals, the Bulls could make a deal work if they like what they see.
If they can get him, then their ceiling would immediately be higher than it is right now.
3. O.J. Mayo
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The Grizzlies have repeatedly stated that they're not interested in trading Mayo, but one suspects that they also wouldn't be entirely opposed to the idea if the right team came calling with the right offer.
After all, they have long since benched Mayo, and his value could be at its highest at this very moment. So why wouldn't they move him.
Mayo would definitely be a boost for Chicago's weak shooting guard position, and one suspects that a move to a contender would definitely re-energize him. Indeed, this is a guy who's playing 10 fewer minutes a game than he did in each of his first two seasons, which has also of course caused his production to sag.
But put him on the same court as Rose, and the Bulls have a trio that could be a fine argument for Miami and/or Boston.
2. Monta Ellis
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There have been a few Monta Ellis trade rumors so far this season, but each of them seem to be just as bogus as the rumors surrounding his name throughout the offseason.
And indeed, why would the Warriors want to trade the NBA's third-leading scorer, especially since he isn't nearly as bitter with Don Nelson now gone?
Why indeed. It would take a hell of a lot for the Warriors to consider trading Ellis, and the Bulls don't really have a hell of a lot to offer.
But just imagine the possibility of a backcourt that would feature Rose and Ellis. If you're doing so right now, you're probably drooling. And that's why Ellis is on this list.
1. Carmelo Anthony
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As if Ellis wasn't outrageous enough, now we have Melo.
Indeed, the only player out there who would without a doubt make the Bulls better than the Heat is Carmelo Anthony, no matter how big a long shot a trade for the Nuggets star might be.
I suspect you don't need the numbers in order to be entirely convinced, but here they are: 24 PPG and a career-high 8.3 RPG. The Bulls only really need the first number of course, as what they need above all else is a true scorer that can take the pressure off Rose. And as good as the other guys on this list are, none of them are on the same level as Anthony (although Ellis is close).
So adding Melo may be a long shot at this point, but he still represents the best-case scenario for the Bulls.
