NBA Trade Rumors: Bulls Must Enter Dwight Howard Sweepstakes

Just when you thought the market had settled on the best big man in the business, the Chicago Bulls have stepped in for the services of Dwight Howard. 

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports the Chicago Bulls are a sleeper in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes, and they need to be if they want to contend for multiple title during the Derrick Rose era. 

Here is what Wojnarowski had to say about the current state of Howard and the Bulls. 

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Chicago may tell Orlando to take any two players – or three – besides [Derrick] Rose...The Bulls have Omar Asik developing fast as a potential replacement for Joakim Noah should the Bulls include Noah in a package. Noah would have to be a part of it, but would a combination of Noah and Luol Deng or Carlos Boozer – bringing back Howard and one of those bad Orlando contracts – be enough? The Magic need a force to replace Howard, an anchor.

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What we have here is the Bulls potentially being gutted for the best center in the NBA. The obvious question of whether anyone is worth possibly derailing the progress of the Bulls for such a thing. 

The Bulls continue to make inroads on nearing an NBA title. I still contend that they have to take a stab at Howard as it seems every other top-shelf team is about to do this winter. 

In fact, if you aren't at least toying with the notion of life with Howard, you aren't trying to get better. The Magic are nearly in the same boat as the Hornets with Chris Paul. 

Granted, Howard hasn't made the demands to be traded that Paul has, but there is a growing sentiment that he has all but checked out as the franchise player for the Orlando Magic. That means they need to do everything in their power to get something for him now. 

You can't have him leave with the cupboard being bare, and the Bulls may have some of the best assets for the Magic to jump on. 

So what would life be like with Howard? It would be divine. You most likely part with Joakim Noah and Boozer. I am fine with that when you consider that Howard is an upgrade in all aspects over Noah. 

As Boozer continues to dip in his form, Howard will only flourish in the next few years. Teaming him with Rose would be epic for the Bulls. 

That kind of tandem doesn't warrant the need for a third superstar. This would be a classic roster that could be filled with role players giving you just enough around the edges. 

Rose will continue to grow as a superstar, and having Howard in the paint assures at least a couple chances at the all-important prize, an NBA title.