Pau Gasol: Are His Days Numbered With The Chicago Bulls?

With the trade deadline less than a month away, should the Chicago Bulls consider trading Pau Gasol?

Prior to the start of the 2014-15 campaign, the Chicago Bulls signed Pau Gasol after New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony decided to remain in the Big Apple. While there were questions as to what Gasol could give the Bulls at 34 years of age, he went on to have a solid campaign, averaging 18.5 points and a career-best 11.8 rebounds per contest.

It is also worth noting that he missed just four games and led the league in doubles-doubles with 54.

Fast forwarding to the present, Gasol continues to produce at a high level with averages of 16.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per outing. This includes a phenomenal outing against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 18. In that contest, he scored a season-high 31 points; grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked three shots and handed out three assists in 36 minutes of action.

Related Story: 25 Best Players to Play for the Chicago Bulls

Needless to say, his performance could not have come at a better time for a Bulls team that had dropped four of its previous five games. Taking that into consideration, should the Bulls consider parting ways with Gasol?

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

In a word: Absolutely. And here a couple of reasons for that sentiment.

Even when the Bulls have been at full strength, their play can be described as inconsistent at best. For every impressive win they’ve had over teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, they’ve also had embarrassing losses to the Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks.

Regardless of how many 50-point games Jimmy Butler may be able to manufacture, the Bulls are just too inconsistent to be considered legitimate title contenders in an improved Eastern Conference.

Secondly, although the Bulls have a record of 9-2 without Joakim Noah — who will miss the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury — their chances of winning it all without the energetic big man are between slim and none. With that being said, it is time for the front office to start thinking about the future.

Sure, in the short term, having a player who is capable of putting up a double-double on any given night is a luxury that few teams have at their disposal. For that reason, it may tempting to keep Gasol around for the rest of the season.

More from Chicago Bulls

• NBA Rumors: Chicago pursuing the best remaining free agent
• 3 Ways the Chicago Bulls can utilize their disabled player exception
• 3 Teams that dodged a bullet with Russell Westbrook news
• NBA Rumors: Could Goran Dragic’s days be numbered on the Chicago Bulls?
• Revisiting 5 recent terrible trades ahead of the deadline

The counterargument to that is the Bulls do not have enough talent for a deep postseason run. And if they did manage to somehow get by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, is it conceivable to think they could knock off the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals?

I think we all know the answer to that one folks.

Another reason why the Bulls should consider looking ahead is because of the fact that Gasol has an opt-out clause in his contract, and he will more than likely explore his options in an attempt to secure one final lucrative deal before riding off into the sunset.

Being that the Bulls have known about this for a while, it would make sense for them to attempt to get something in return for what Gasol brings to the table rather than letting him walk this summer with nothing to show for it.

To bring my point home even further, let’s talk about rookie forward Bobby Portis for a moment. During a nine game stretch when Noah was out with his first shoulder injury, Portis averaged 7.7 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting a respectable 46 percent from the field.

But once Noah returned to the rotation, Portis’ playing time was significantly reduced to say the least. In fact, over the past five games, Portis has played just 33 minutes. With Noah lost for the season and Gasol removed from the equation, Portis would have ample opportunity to showcase his skill set on a nightly basis.

In the eyes of most Bulls fans, I realize why this is not a popular option on multiple fronts. At the same token, however, it makes little sense for a team to keep a player around for the sake of winning one, maybe two playoff series and then watching him leave via free agency during the offseason.

Next: Chicago Bulls: 3 Keys To Upcoming Road Trip

Since it has become painfully obvious that the Bulls are no longer considered title contenders, it is time for the team to start building toward the future rather than being stuck in the present.