Bulls to trade Dunleavy Jr and Snell for Timberwolves Martin?

Today’s rumor is brought to you by none other than the folks at ESPN themselves. The Chicago Bulls must be extremely paranoid about winding up dead last in opponents points per game, because if this rumor is true Tom Thibodeau and the Bulls are once again looking to tack on some offensive firepower. It’s rumored that the Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves are mulling a swap of swingman Kevin Martin for Bulls guard Mike Dunleavy Jr., Tony Snell and a 2015 second round pick.

On paper this appears to be a pretty big time trade (for the Bulls). A closer look into the numbers shows a different story. In fact, money wise it’s a complete wash with no clear advantage for either team. As they say there’s no romance without finance, so first let’s see if it makes dollars and sense. If this deal went down, the Bulls would be taking on close to extra $2 million to acquire Martin. For what they get on the floor versus Martin’s use, in an already loaded Bulls team almost makes the idea of the trade moot.

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Kevin Martin will make $6,792,500 in the 2014-15 season. Should the Timberwolves decide to trade him away for Dunleavy Jr. and Snell, they’ll clear $4,798,635 at seasons end from Dunleavy Jr’s expiring contract ($3,326,235) and Tony Snell who has a team option for $1,472,400 in the second year of his deal. Oh and don’t forget that pesky cap hold from the 2015 pick that’ll cost anywhere from $750,000 to a bit under one million. That’s a grand total of $3 million or so saved.

However if any trade is completed between the two you can rest assured that Flip Saunders will buy out the remaining portion of Dunleavy Jr’s contract faster than he can get to O’hare Airport. Hell just to get the deal done, Saunders would most likely send the T-Wolves medical staff to Dunleavy Jr’s crib in Chi-town to complete the physical. That’s how bad Dunleavy Jr. will want to go anywhere other than Minnesota and how accommodating the Timberwolves will be. Meanwhile Minnesota loses good practice competition for rookie Andrew Wiggins who’s already poised to be a rookie standout on the defensive end.

As for Tony Snell, the Timberwolves would most likely allow him to play the year out, and it might be a good thing for him. He’ll get about 15 minutes a game (similar to his 16 per game in Chicago) and get to make the highlight reel a few times next to Wiggins. When the Timberwolves look to re tool in the off season, he’ll be trying to put up buckets in summer league looking for a new squad.

This completed trade is just another opportunity for the Timberwolves to tank and set themselves up for a high draft pick to pair with Wiggins. Conversely it’s a ploy for the Bulls to never return to dreadful dead last position in scoring. It’s haunted them to no end, and rightfully so when you’ve got the league’s stingiest defense but just can’t get enough points on the board.

Basketball wise, this trade is pretty meh but it favors the Bulls. Based off last year’s player stats the Bulls only gain 3.3 points per game while giving up three rebounds and 1.4 assists from swapping Dunleavy Jr. and Snell for Martin. On a more positive note, Martin is definitely an upgrade over Dunleavy Jr. and with great passing bigs like Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol, the Bulls would have a deadeye shooter to stretch the floor.

Bringing in Martin also pushes Jimmy Butler to the small forward, and takes some pressure off Butler after a sub par offensive year. With the open shots created from Martin’s ability to draw defenders it’s a way to get him back to optimum offensive form. It could result in Bulter raising his field-goal percentage above 40 percent this season plus getting named to the All-Defensive second team (or better) for the second straight year. 

Surrounding Derrick Rose, Noah, Gasol and Nikola Mirotic with a knock down three ball artist like Martin opens the floor. His ability to catch and shoot with a quickness favors Rose’s tendency to drive-and-kick as well. However the Bulls didn’t add Gasol to have him set screens and rebound only, and adding Martin to the fold definitely reduces some of Gasol’s touches.

Gasol will eat a hearty portion of the Bulls offense, and Thibodeau will be counting on history to resurface with Gasol for the Bulls. In the Lakers last two championship seasons in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010, the Lakers scored 23 percent of their points while Pau Gasol was on the floor — and that was in the Western Conference! In both years for most productive two man tandems, Gasol was present in two of the top three lineups that scored the greatest number of points on the floor, equal to Kobe Bryant. Fair enough to say he’s pretty important and needs the ball in his hands. On the flip-side, none of Gasol’s best years in assists resulted in post season hardware. Passing out of double teams and setting up teammates isn’t present in Gasol’s championship DNA. He’s best when scoring from 15 to 25 feet out and playing the high-low game with the opposite big man. 

In addition to Gasol commanding a good chunk on offense, you can’t forget about Rose. Although he was Mr. Distribution in FIBA, once Rose catches his offensive stride in the regular season his utilization rate will increase. And if he’s healthy, who would you rather have the ball in crunch time? If Martin was a player that wasn’t too concerned about who took the last shot he would’ve stuck around in Oklahoma City and wouldn’t have bumped heads with Kevin Love in the Timberwolves locker room. He’ll defer, but with an attitude. Thibodeau will have to keep his eye on the team’s chemistry should they pull this trigger.

This rumor is so bland it must have legs, and while it leaves the Timberwolves even more destitute and in good tanking form there’s not much to be gained on the hardwood or front office for Minny. You can make the argument that the Bulls are good enough (on paper) without Martin, but if the Timberwolves are suckers enough to trade him away for Dunleavy Jr. and Tony Snell, why wouldn’t the Bulls take it?