With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching, Carmelo Anthony has come up in relation to the Chicago Bulls again.
Talk of NBA trades may have been going on for months, but with Feb. 18 marking the trade deadline, things are about to get chaotic. Although the majority of stories out there will remain just that, some teams are going to make moves. And although the Chicago Bulls are not known for stirring things up very often, you never know what might happen.
Chicago, as a franchise, runs a pretty tight ship. So while both fans and the media can make educated guesses on what the organization has in mind moving forward, everything tends to remain speculation until the end.
With that said, it seems relatively obvious who is currently on the trade chopping block.
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Let us start out with Joakim Noah, a guy who has struggled immensely this year. Recently, Noah came forward and said he would like to remain in Chicago. But unfortunately what players want is not always enough to sway a decision.
Noah has been underperforming this season, and with his contract up this summer, he is in a good position to be traded. Of course, his value has decreased after battling a reoccurring shoulder injury, but there are still plenty of teams in the league that would gladly have him on board.
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Taj Gibson is another name that keeps popping up in relation to Bulls trades, although some are not quite sure why.
Not only is the 30-year-old averaging 7.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, but he has also stepped up when both Noah and Nikola Mirotic have been unable to play. On top of this, getting rid of him would leave Chicago with Pau Gasol (a soon-to-be free agent) and Bobby Portis.
However, he does make a nice side piece in dealing with a multiple-part trade. So with the right arrangement in place, it technically would make sense for the Bulls to give him up.
The last player mentioned in trade discussions is Gasol. The aging big man is set to be a free agent this summer, and reports are currently split between Chicago looking to re-sign him and putting him up as collateral.
Gasol has been tremendous for the Bulls thus far and, with Noah and Mirotic out, is now their saving grace. But he is 35. And the team’s finances will change, if they do indeed move Noah (and/or others). So while trading Gasol may not be at the top of their to-do list, it cannot be ruled out as a possibility just yet.
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But what about who Chicago is looking to get?
If you thought the organization was tight-lipped about who they are trying to get rid of, they are even more secretive into who they are looking into. Of course, there is a possibility that at this time, they are not trying to make any changes at all. The Bulls do not like to shake things up very often.
However as usual, Carmelo Anthony has been linked to the team. And just like when he took a meeting with the Bulls a few summers back, fans are getting hyped over the idea.
ESPN NBA insider David Thorpe proposed that Chicago trade for Anthony, in order to finally make a real championship run:
"“Noah, if healthy, is the perfect big man for the triangle, and would give the Knicks an identity to define their style of play and their fight to win. Gibson can be a valuable trade piece moving forward or a keeper, depending on how quickly the Knicks can attract and develop more talent.”"
On paper, that sounds great. Noah (or even Gasol) alongside rookie hotshot Kristaps Porzingis, could be killer. And a combination of Anthony, Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler? Stop it. But unfortunately, it is not that simple.
Noah is not healthy, at least for now. Apparently the Bulls want to try and keep Gasol. Rose is constantly in and out of the lineup.
And oh yeah, Anthony seemingly wants to forever stay in his hometown.
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Having Anthony in Chicago would be a dream come true for most fans. I have loved him since his college days at Syracuse. But although in this league, the impossible often happens, I am certainly not holding my breath. The Bulls may mix things up, but I would not count on Anthony being part of the equation.