Bulls might need upgrades to take full advantage of Wade
The Bulls appreciated the marketing buzz that came with Dwyane Wade falling into their laps this summer.
Now it's time to pay close attention to the Wade Window.
We're only a few weeks into the NBA season and the Bulls could still go in a few different directions, but there are two significant observations:
• The Bulls appear to be a better team than many predicted.
• There are a high number of young players on the roster who are still learning the ropes.
That's why the Bulls should spend the next couple months exploring trade options, and consider sending one or more of their young players for a proven veteran. Wade, 34, is still playing at a high level and the Bulls have a short window of opportunity when Wade is still good and Jimmy Butler is in his prime.
By the way, Butler was named Eastern Conference player of the week Monday after averaging 27.3 points in four games.
There were plenty of complaints across the Twittersphere about coach Fred Hoiberg's decision to play Bobby Portis in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 102-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Keep in mind, Hoiberg's options are limited. Butler, Wade, Taj Gibson and usually Rajon Rondo will be in the finishing lineup. If Hoiberg needs size, Robin Lopez is the pick, but more often, the Bulls need a shooter and the choices are Doug McDermott (too small to play power forward, currently sidelined by a concussion), Nikola Mirotic (wildly inconsistent) and Portis (second-year player with acres of room to improve).
This is where the Bulls could use an upgrade. Maybe one of the three players mentioned above will rise to the occasion, but more likely they'll stay who they are. You can't fast-forward four years to when they're more seasoned NBA players.
Are there any players who could fill that role for the Bulls? Well, yes, the obvious answer is Sacramento's Rudy Gay. He's someone the Bulls have tried to acquire in the recent past and he announced before the season he will opt out of his contract next summer, which essentially means he wants out of Sacramento.
He'd be a potential rental, but the Bulls would get his Bird rights - an exception to the salary cap - in a trade, which makes a new contract feasible. The price would likely be Mirotic, who will be a restricted free agent next summer. A package of Mirotic, Michael Carter-Williams and either Jerian Grant or Denzel Valentine could work salary-wise.
Too much? That all depends. Would Gay, who is averaging 20.5 points, give the Bulls a chance to compete against Cleveland in the playoffs? Hard to say, but the 10-year veteran would be nice to have.
The 6-foot-8 Gay, 30, is shooting .417 from 3-point range and is probably more of a small-ball power forward these days than a slashing wing player.
Beyond Gay, it might be a challenge to find a good fit for the Bulls' needs. Brooklyn would probably part with Luis Scola. If Dallas keeps struggling, Andrew Bogut might be available. Around the league, there's an abundance of players with huge contracts they signed this summer.
Here are two nice ideas that won't work:
• Chris Bosh. Even if he were cleared to play (Miami's doctors did not clear him because of blood clot issues), he has an expensive three years left on his contract. Insurance is paying part of his salary, the Heat is hoping for cap space relief. It would be messy to join a new team unless Miami decided to eat his entire contract. He should probably retire, anyway.
• Luol Deng. The Bulls got to play against their old friend Sunday, but he signed a four-year, $72-million deal this summer with the Lakers. There's no way the Bulls would take that on, even if Deng and John Paxson made up.
An alternative is to check out the free agents still waiting for a job. The list presumably includes Caron Butler, Tayshaun Prince, Chris Kaman, Tyler Hansbrough, Matt Bonner, Rasual Butler, Charlie Villanueva and former Wade teammate Dorrell Wright. I say presumably, because some of those guys could be on their way to an overseas team or just sitting at home with no intention of playing again.
There are some interesting guys playing in China who could conceivably be available after their season ends, such as Josh Smith, Andray Blatche or J.J. Hickson.
Finding an upgrade won't be easy and the Bulls have a couple months to wait on Mirotic and Portis to keep improving. But the Wade Window won't be open much longer.
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Bulls game day
Bulls vs. Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center, 8 p.m. Tuesday
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: Denver has not been kind to the Bulls. They haven't won there since Feb. 8, 2006, dropping nine in a row and 15 of 16 since the end of the championship era. Last February, the Bulls blew a late lead in Denver, Jimmy Butler suffered a knee injury and their season went into a downward spiral. The Nuggets are 5-8 this season and just 2-4 at home. Former DePaul star Wilson Chandler is the top scorer with a career-high 17.1 ppg, followed by SF Danilo Gallinari at 16.9 points and second-year PG Emmanuel Mudiay with 15.8. Denver is one of the league's best rebounding teams behind PF Kenneth Faried (9.7 per game) and C Jusuf Nurkic (7.5).
Next: Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, 6:30 p.m.
- Mike McGraw