Imrem: Chicago Bulls should have tried to get Boogie

The possibilities were more combustible than anything around here since the Great Chicago Fire.

Think about it: The Chicago Bulls establishment and DeMarcus Cousins coexisting under the same roof.

Nothing that happens by Thursday's 2 p.m. trade deadline would be more entertaining. Maybe it would be better for the Bulls, but not more entertaining.

That's why it's curious that the Bulls' apparent disinterest in Cousins wasn't met by more public curiosity.

It would have been nice to hear that the Bulls at least made an offer to Sacramento to acquire the player also known as Boogie.

Who knows what might have happened? The Pelicans couldn't have predicted that they would land Cousins for mere crumbs.

The Bulls have as many crumbs to deal as New Orleans had, don't they?

What fun it would have been if the Bulls were bold enough to beat the Pelicans to Cousins.

One of the NBA's best big men also is one of the league's worst headaches, difficult to coach and a technical foul waiting to happen.

As talented as Cousins is, he was too toxic for most teams to acquire, even at the reduced price New Orleans paid.

The Pelicans stepped up to gamble a pittance on this 6-feet-11, 270-pound dilemma.

New Orleans isn't exactly a model franchise. Former Pelicans guard Eric Gordon characterized it as "dysfunctional."

But as Jeff Duncan wrote in The Times-Picayune newspaper, "Instead of a moribund basketball wasteland, New Orleans now has a chance to become a destination market."

Cousins is a gifted all-around offensive player, including in the low post. Sounds like a good Bulls complement to Jimmy Butler's perimeter presence.

OK, so there would be a high possibility, perhaps probability, that Cousins would have destroyed the Bulls.

This isn't exactly a team with the infrastructure to absorb the temperamental Cousins.

The Bulls don't have a player like LeBron James, coach like Gregg Popovich or executive like Pat Riley that a player like Cousins would respect.

Instead, Dwyane Wade could come to the Bulls and immediately feel like he's the organization's compass and conscience.

At least Wade has lead-dog credentials: perennial all-star, NBA champion, elder statesman.

At age 35, would Wade be someone Cousins would look to for guidance?

Maybe … maybe not … interesting either way.

As good as Cousins is - 28 points and 11 rebounds per game - he still has to prove he's a winner.

It would have been fun to see whether he could be here on a team that hasn't been much fun lately.

Try to envision even-tempered head coach Fred Hoiberg trying to manage the hotheaded Cousins.

Of course, another possibility is that Cousins would settle down - he admits he has to find an emotional balance - and combine with Butler to form the core of a dangerous playoff team.

As Duncan wrote in The Times-Picayune, "If successful, everyone - fans, media, potential free agents - will look at the Pelicans differently going forward."

The Bulls could stand to be looked at differently while invigorating fans with a daring attempt to emerge from their mire of mediocrity.

Yes, it would have been fun to see whether acquiring a player nicknamed Boogie would burn down the United Center or raise the roof.

mimrem@dailyherald.com