2011 Trade Deadline: 10 Shooting Guards the Bulls Could Trade For
It's obvious that the Bulls need a new shooting guard, but the question remains who will it be? Through the first half of the season, it's become apparent the answer doesn't exist on the Bulls roster. Bogans is not doing anything. Ronnie Brewer can work the baseline and effectively play defense, but has a limited offensive repertoire. Kyle Korver can shoot the lights out of the ball, but that is the limit of his abilities, since he does not drive the lane effectively. Additionally, he cannot play defense.
So it's obvious that a solution must come and that this solution will come from a roster other than the Bulls'. Therefore, this slideshow lists 10 players that I've seen connected to the Bulls in some way this offseason, how well they fit with the Bulls, the possibility they would trade for the player and who the Bulls would have to give up.
Richard Hamilton
1 of 11
I've seen this mentioned all over the place, but this trade is just not going to happen. The is the Bulls will not trade assets in exchange for a 32-year old shooting guard.
How well he fits with the Bulls: 75 percent
Although the Bulls won't trade for an old guy who makes more money than Derrick Rose, he does fill the main role the team need a SG to do, shoot the long ball. He is making 39 percent of his shots from down town, and is averaging 13 points per game. He also brings vital Championship experience to the Bulls.
Chance of a trade: 0 percent
He is old, makes more money than Derrick Rose, has no potential to become better and he is on the downside of his career. If the Bulls make this trade, General Manager Gar Forman needs to be replaced with a five-year old child.
What the Bulls would have to give up: Taj Gibson, Charlotte pick and James Johson
Hamilton is older, and the Pistons would want to get his contract off the books, which would make it easier for the Bulls to acquire him.
James Harden
2 of 11
James Harden is a quality shooting guard who is not playing as much as his draft slot would indicated, as he was a top five draft pick. Yet, he is still a young player who has plenty of ability. As of now, he is playing only 26 minutes a game, yet has plenty of ability.
How well he fits in with the Bulls: 99 percent
Harden averages a little over 10 points per game, despite minimum minutes. If he were on the Bulls, he would certainly play many more minutes, raising his average to probably around 15 points a game—exactly what the Bulls need from this position. He shoots 37 percent from downtown, so he can effectively score from long range after a Derrick Rose drive and kick.
Chance of a trade: 15 percent
He is a quality player, and would fit perfectly with the Bulls. He plays a little more than half the game and is only 21 years old. Teams won't give up on a player like this, and trade him.
What the Bulls have to give up: Taj Gibson, Charlotte Pick, Ronnie Brewer
Taj Gibson would have to be included in just about every trade here, as he would be the cornerstone of any trade the Bulls pull off, see my article here on why:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/592127-upcoming-trade-deadline-four-reasons-why-the-bulls-will-trade-taj-gibson
The Charlotte pick would have to be included to sweeten the deal, and Brewer is necessary because Oklahoma City would want a shooting guard in return other than Bogans. And since the Bulls would refuse to give up their shooter in Korver, Brewer is elected.
JJ Reddick
3 of 11
A guy can dream, right? He would fit perfectly in the Bulls, but based on league rules, since the Magic matched the restricted free agency offer, they cannot trade him to the Bulls this season.
Rudy Fernandez
4 of 11
Fernandez has been viewed as a shooter throughout his NBA career and has a big body to go with it in his 6'6" frame. He is a decent player, but has been moaning he wants to return to Europe. He is young, however, at 25, and plays only 22 minutes a game. Since he plays so little, the Blazers would be more open to trading him.
How well he fits with the Bulls: 50 percent
For a shooter, he is only making 33 percent of his shots from the three-point line, which is tied for the lowest on this list. He still has a shooters' ability though, and scores eight points per game, which will increase if he gets more minutes. He has been fined for the league for whining about wanting to go back to Europe, which would obviously mess with the Bulls chemistry.
Chance of a trade: 25 percent
His poor shooting lowers the chances of a trade and his threats of wanting to leave would make the Bulls wary. The Blazers also seem to want a lot for him. But with so many reports indicating the Bulls like him, there has to be a bit of truth; therefore the Bulls probably have inquired about him.
What the Bulls would have to give up: Taj, Charlotte pick, James Johnson.
One wrench that could be thrown into this deal is how much the Blazers are rumored to want and the Bulls obviously would not give all these assets up, which once again lowers the chances of a trade
Vince Carter
5 of 11
This is not going to happen, thats all that needs to be said.
Courtney Lee
6 of 11
Courtney Lee is a young player at 25, but averages only a tad under seven points per game. He is the big body at 6-6 the Bulls new regime likes at the shooting guard position.
How well he fits in with the Bulls: 99.9 percent
This is almost a perfect situation with the Bulls, he is a young player who can score on long range shots, as he is shooting 38 percent from three-point range. His abilities as a shooter means that the ball won't be taken out of MVP Derrick Rose's hands. While his PPG is poor, he only plays around 19 minutes per game.
Chance of a trade: 50 percent
Although the chances are currently a coin flip, I believe this is the most likely trade the Bulls will pull off. He fits in well with the team, and the Bulls supposedly have scouted him.
What it would cost: Charlotte pick, Ronnie Brewer
Another huge benefit for the Bulls is how little it would cost them. Taj would not have to be included, as the Rockets obviously could do without him as Lee only plays 19 minutes per game. However, they would need a future, high draft pick as the cornerstone of a deal, and a shooting guard to balance salaries out. Plus, the Bulls' backcourt would be crowded with Bogans, Brewer, Korver, and Lee. We would have to get rid of one, hence sending Brewer back.
OJ Mayo
7 of 11
He has been mentioned throughout the past year as a potential target for the Bulls, and is a decent player for the Grizzlies, despite the fact he does not start. He was a high draft pick just a few years ago.
How well he fits in: 25 percent
First Mayo does not shoot at an elite level, as his three point field goal percentage is 36 percent, but his style demands that he has the ball in his hands to score, which takes the ball out of Derrick Rose's hands. More importantly, he is only 6'4", so is short for a SG and is not the high quality defender that Coach Thib's loves.
Chance of a trade: .1 percent
Since he does not fit in well, along with his suspension for substance abuse, the trade possibilities go down even more. Additionally, as seen below, the cost would not balance out the reward.
What it would cost: Taj, Charlotte pick, James Johnson, Omer Asik, and probably Ronnie Brewer
So basically this trade would cost the Bulls their entire bench, and would not really be worth it. Since he only averages 12 points per game, such a trade is just too expensive. The only way the Bulls would trade all these players was if it were in exchange for Kobe Bryant
J.R. Smith
8 of 11
Smith is a quality player and has plenty of talent, but even better he translates minimal minutes (24) to plenty of points (12). A bucket ever four minutes is pretty good value for what would conceivably be the fourth option on the team, if not the fifth. Heck, he even was a Bull for about a week or so.
How well he fits in: 50 percent, could be 95 percent
Smith could be the perfect player for the Bulls as he shoots decently at 36 percent from downtown, but also has the ability to drive and throw down some terrific dunks. That's why he could be a 95 percent fit, but right now he is only 50 percent fit. Smith has clashed with coaches in the past, and is a bit of a hot head. Imagine how that would work with Thib's style of yelling what to do the entire game.
Chance of a trade: 5 percent
As mentioned he could be a very good player for the Bulls, but the biggest problem is his attitude. He would not, and could not, coexist with Thibs, and the head coach would win a clash every time, leaving the Bulls no better off than they are now. As Stacey King says, "Thib's is the only coach in the league that can bench 300." It's probably not a good idea for Smith to try to pick a fight with him.
What it would cost the Bulls: Taj Gibson, Charlotte pick at the most
A benefit of Smith is that Denver is getting sick of him, and would be willing to let him go for a discounted price to get rid of issues he causes. Again, if he clashed with George Karl, he will with Thib.
Kirk Hinrich
9 of 11
For the Bulls fans desperate for the return of Captain Kirk, it won't happen just a few months after we originally traded him. Add in his big contract, and he won't return for a couple years, if at all.
Kevin Martin
10 of 11
His name has been mentioned here or there as a target, but more of a fanciful wish that the Bulls could get him, not a realistic target. But who knows?
How well he would fit in: 98 percent
He is a phenomenal shooter making 40 percent of his shots from three point land this year. I've only been chronicling three point shooting in this slideshow because with Derrick Rose driving the lane, a SG will be taking many of these a game. Even better, he is a big body at 6'7", and a decently young player at 28-years old.
Chance of a trade: 1 percent
The man is averaging 23 points a game! To put this in perspective, since that is one missed free throw away from the amount that Rose averages, he probably won't be traded. Throw in the fact that plays 31 minutes a game, he won't easily be replaced, and therefore probably won't be traded
What it would cost: Our entire Bench, the Charlotte Pick, and our first this year.
This is the biggest reason the trade won't go through. Even though the Bulls would love to have him, but the fact is he is too valuable to his own team, so the cost of a trade would be way too high.
In Conclusion
11 of 11
So, of the players mentioned, the three that would fit best with the Bulls would be:
1.James Harden
2. Courtney Lee
3. Kevin Martin
The three that the have the highest chance of a trade:
1. Courtney Lee
2. Rudy Fernandez
3. James Harden
The two repeating names on both lists are Courtney Lee, James Harden and therefore the two I think would be the best players for the Bulls to acquire. If I had to guess on which one the Bulls will acquire, I would say Courtney Lee would be the most likely player on this list to put on the red at the United Center.
