Could MJ rescue the Bulls?
After completing perhaps the most disappointing season in team history, the Bulls aren't exactly brimming with hope for a quick turnaround.
Some optimistic thoughts were found, however, through the use of a powerful search engine:
• The Bulls' main players have been to the playoffs three times, while delivering a miserable failure of a season just once.
• The Boston Celtics improved by a whopping 42 games this year. If the Bulls could accomplish half that, they'd be a top-four seed.
• No matter what happens, the Bulls will not be shifted to the Western Conference, where a team with 48 wins can miss the playoffs.
That said, the Bulls could end up making a multitude of changes this summer or just a few. In Part Two on Friday, we'll explore the search for a point guard, a big defender and sort through the available "stars" on the trading block. But first, let's explore whether the Bulls could pull off a Boston-type move:
The Boston model
There may never be another single-summer improvement to match the Celtics, but the Bulls could attempt a somewhat close approximation.
The key to Boston's turnaround was a former player, Minnesota general manager Kevin McHale, willing to help with a friendly trade.
Now the Bulls need to enlist the help of Michael Jordan.
The Charlotte Bobcats are losing money and fans, so they would likely be open to dealing Emeka Okafor. The fourth-year power forward turned down a generous extension offer last fall, just as his college roommate, Ben Gordon, did with the Bulls.
Okafor averaged 13.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2 blocks last season, but figures to be capable of greater offensive contributions. He shot 54 percent from the field, but ranked fourth on the Bobcats in shot attempts.
If Okafor tones down his contract demands, he would be a nice fit next to Joakim Noah and give the Bulls some needed muscle inside. The Bobcats would want less-expensive big men in return, so some combination of Drew Gooden, Tyrus Thomas and the No. 9 pick (not all three, of course) could make a sign-and-trade happen.
Next, the Bulls could target a Ray Allen-type shooting guard in Milwaukee's Michael Redd. Either Redd or Mo Williams must go this summer and the Bucks would have to strongly consider swapping Redd for a defensive-minded guard such as Kirk Hinrich. If the Bulls add Cedric Simmons and JamesOn Curry, then the salaries match.
Redd has been a one-dimensional scorer with little history of team success. But so was Allen, and he worked out well for the Celtics. Redd is also expensive, with roughly the same amount of money left on his contract ($51.2 million over three years) as Allen had last year at this time.
The Bulls would be left with a high payroll and no true point guard. The solution could be former Bulls' draft pick Roger Mason Jr., a free agent who improved dramatically for the Wizards this season and wouldn't cost much. Mason could split the job with Gordon, conceivably.
Granted, Luol Deng, Emeka Okafor and Michael Redd don't carry the same mystique as Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
It's just one suggestion.