A look at Bulls' draft possibilities
Perhaps one of the other 29 NBA teams will decide which player the Bulls choose with the first pick of the NBA draft.
General manager John Paxson suggested on Wednesday that trade opportunities for the team's existing players could help determine whether the Bulls ultimately favor Memphis point guard Derrick Rose or Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley on June 26.
Both draft candidates would fill a glaring need for the Bulls, either a dynamic point guard or an interior scorer.
"That's all part of the process," Paxson said. "That's evaluating and looking around the league and seeing if maybe there's a way to address one of those needs through a trade and addressing the other one through the draft."
With Paxson's words in mind, here's a look at how the Bulls might be able to remodel their roster to fit with whichever player becomes the No. 1 pick, beginning with Rose.
Crowded house
The upside to drafting Rose is the Bulls would get a talented floor leader who is taller than Chris Paul and more athletic than Deron Williams.
The downside is another piece would be added to an already overcrowded backcourt. When last season ended, it was clear the Bulls needed to subtract a guard, because sharing minutes between Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Larry Hughes and Thabo Sefolosha didn't work well for anyone. None of the four played particularly well after the Feb. 21 trade brought Hughes from Cleveland.
The Bulls probably won't want to part with Sefolosha's potential, so that leaves the other three. Gordon is a restricted free agent who would have to agree to any trade, as well as salary terms with the new team. Also, losing their best outside shooter while the league moves to a higher-scoring style is a questionable strategy for the Bulls.
Large contracts for Hinrich (four years, $36.5 million) and Hughes (two years, $26.5 million) could discourage potential suitors. Chris Duhon is an unrestricted free agent who most likely won't return, though it isn't out of the question.
"I do know we've got young players that do have some value in the league as I've talked to people in the past," Paxson said. "We'll see where it goes."
Thinking big
If the Bulls are thinking blockbuster, a good place to start would be Denver's Carmelo Anthony, the league's fourth-leading scorer at 25.7 points.
Anthony's agent, Calvin Andrews, told both Denver papers Wednesday that his client is not being shopped. But the Nuggets need some sort of makeover. Despite the league's third-highest payroll, Denver barely made the postseason and is 4-20 in playoff games since Anthony arrived in 2003.
Maybe acquiring Hinrich and Luol Deng in a sign-and-trade would help the Nuggets establish some semblance of a defensive identity. Another player such as center Stephen Hunter would have to go to the Bulls to make the salaries add up.
Anthony would be an interesting addition for the Bulls because he's a top-notch scorer who gets to the foul line and can play inside.
If that doesn't work, what about Hinrich and Drew Gooden to the Clippers for Elton Brand? The Clippers could lose Brand next year in free agency, so they might want something now in return. The bad news is the former Bulls' No. 1 pick played just eight games last season because of a torn Achilles.
Another power forward who may be available is Charlotte's Emeka Okafor, a restricted free agent. The Bobcats don't have a great need for more guards, however. Hinrich could conceivably go to Seattle for his college roommate, Nick Collison, plus project center Johan Petro.
Three directions
There figures to be less interest in Hughes, since he hasn't played particularly well after leaving Washington in 2005. But here's an idea that should work, if the Bulls need to thin the backcourt: Hughes to New York for Malik Rose and Jared Jeffries.
The money left on the contracts involved is virtually even, but the deal works for the Knicks because it moves them one step closer to having cap room in 2010. Hughes' deal expires in 2010, while Jeffries' runs to 2011. Rose has one year left.
There should be a decent number of teams with a desire to add Gordon or Hinrich. Philadelphia, Orlando, Portland, Phoenix and Sacramento are among those that could use either better outside shooting, younger legs or better point guard options.
The problem is finding players the Bulls could use in return. The Sixers and Blazers would most likely offer spare parts, while the Magic, Suns and Kings don't have many movable assets beyond their main players.
• Coming Saturday: Rebuilding the Bulls around Michael Beasley.