- Name: Marc Gasol
- Position(s): Center
- Current Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Intro: Taking a look at the Chicago Bulls right now, we seem to be quite talented with much of praise going toward our biggest free agent signing last season, forward/center Pau Gasol. But What's better than one Gasol? How about two? This year's free agency will consist of some big names, but none may be more sought after than Memphis center Marc Gasol. The 7'1" big man has become an intimidating force for the Grizzlies since coming from Spain in 2008. With the Grizzlies, he's played outstanding with talented athletes by his side like point guard Michael Conley and forward Zach Randolph by his side. So surely, Marc would have no trouble in Chicago, especially when your brother will be right next to you.
Biggest Positives: Although it may be difficult for some to thin so, one of Gasol's biggest plus sides is his ability to control the post down low and around the net. It seems like anytime there is shot fired that offensively misses or defensively misses, Gasol is right there to snatch it up and either put it back in or pass it back out. Although his stats don't screen "double-double" with just 8.0 rebounds/game, it's his innate ability to grab those critical and clutch rebounds at the right time in order to shift momentum and give Memphis back control. And if you're thinking about driving it to the basket, well good luck to you. The one thing that Marc Gasol does not seem to mind too much is contact. I may have not watched many Memphis games, but those I have seen, I have yet to see someone that can knock over Gasol or even throw him off balance.I also have yet to find someone that Gasol is not afraid to contest shots against either. As he always seems to do and have done every season, Marc is averaging close to 2.0 blocked shots a game while also averaging 2.5 personal fouls a game for the Grizzlies. To me, that is the kind of guy that I am looking to have on my roster; someone that is not afraid to play tough defense and get their hands dirty while doing so. After all, the Grizzlies are ranked as the No. 1 defense by allowing just 95 points against per game.While Marc and his brother share the similar traits of their low post game defensively, Marc's offense has been moving along a little bit slower than Pau's but appears to be coming along nicely. This season, Marc Gasol is averaging a season-high and Memphis leading 18.2 points/game, which has helped put them in at No. 2 in the Western Conference Standings.
Price Tag: Considering how well his numbers have been this year and throughout his career, I'd say Gasol would cost around $60+ million on a five or six year deal. Other teams interested may include New York, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles Clippers.
-Name: Paul Millsap
-Position(s): Power Forward
-Current Team: Atlanta Hawks
Intro: Right now, Chicago has power forward Taj Gibson coming off the bench and occasionally starting every now and then. Gibson has been big both offensively and defensively in his career with the Bulls, but it seems like that may have the potential to be coming to a close this season. Now I have faith that Taj is still apart of the Bulls' future because he can be a force, but even I have got to admit that his trade value is at a peak which can't be overlooked. So then the question stands, "How do we replace him?", and the answer would probably have to be Atlanta's forward Paul Millsap. So far, Millsap has been a huge piece for the Hawks this year after they signed him last season after parting ways with All-Star forward Josh Smith. But even before then, it was apparent to me that this guy would shine back when he was a backup forward/center in Utah.
Biggest Positives: Like Gibson, Millsap plays with a lot of fire underneath him. Most likely because, like Gibson, he too was once just a sixth man coming off the bench even though he had the ability to bring it as a starter.That fire has certainly shown on the defensive side of the ball. This season, Millsap has been averaging 7.9 rebounds per game and almost one block per game in order to help Atlanta sit just behind Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies as the No. 2 best defense by allowing just 96 points per game. Offensively, Paul Millsap is about where Taj Gibson is I would say, but still bring the fire all the same. Millsop's scoring average right now sits at 17.0 points per game. Which is actually better than Gibson, but that does not surprise me since Millsap is the starting power forward for the Hawks now and his team is not loaded with "shoot first" type of personalities like it is here in Chicago.
Price Tag: Looking at what Paul Millsap has done with the Hawks this season and seeing how his past career is pretty good, I would say that Millsap would be around $30-45 million on a four year deal. Other teams interested may include New York, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta, Detroit, and Brooklyn.
-Name:Al Jefferson
-Position(s): Forward/ Center
-Current Team: Charlotte Hornets
Intro: Chicago has had a nice tradition of having big men who know how to handle themselves in traffic in the low post on offense and defense. Last year, we had a strong and powerful Joakim Noah at center who won the Defensive Player of the Year award. This year, Noah's injuries are appearing to catch up with him and we've been lucky enough to have Pau Gasol this season to help fulfill the role that Noah has not. Considering that we were to trade Noah and did not sign Marc Gasol, another possible [and definitely cheaper] option would be a guy like Charlotte forward/center Al Jefferson. His journey started well in Boston, then he was traded with there to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett where he started to prosper, then was traded for draft picks to Utah, and eventually signed on to be part of the Charlotte franchise. (fun fact: Paul Millsap was actually his backup in Utah)
Biggest Positives: Jefferson's biggest upside has always been consistency overall. Offensively, he's holding a good pace by averaging around 17.5 points per game and holding a field goal percentage of .484 for the season.Over his career, his scoring is 17.0 points per game with a field goal percentage of .500, which is just outstanding. Defensively, he's always been very solid throughout the his career with an average of 9.1 rebounds per game and 1.3 blocks per game. this season, he's been staying strong as a starting big man with an average of 8.9 rebounds per game and 1.3 blocks per game all while making Charlotte the 9th best team in rebounding (44.2) and 6th in points allowed (96.8).
Price Tag: Jefferson's price tag all depends on whether or not he decides to pick up the player option on his contract for $13.5 million. If he doesn't take the option and decides to head for free agency, it could mean the Bulls would need about $45-48 million on a four-five year deal. Other teams interested may include Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota, and Brooklyn.
-Name: Monta Ellis
-Position(s): Point/ Shooting Guard
-Current Team: Dallas Mavericks
Intro: Let's face it, we've run our course with point guard Derrick Rose and his "shoot first" type of attitude on this team. It's time for him to go and take a chance on someone who knows how to be clutch in crunch time and play solid perimeter defense. Jimmy Butler has been solid as shooting guard and forward, but he needs someone that can help compliment his scoring and defensive skills in the backcourt. To me, that guy could be found in Dallas guard Monta Ellis. Since coming into the NBA with Golden State out of high school in 2005 and then being traded for two years in Milwaukee, Ellis has been a favorite of mine as far as "make it happen by all means" attitude and approach to the game. Honestly, I think he is one of the most underrated guards in the NBA and deserves to get the chance to reach a title with a strong and competitive team like the Bulls.
Biggest Positives: Monta Ellis' biggest positive is, of course, his scoring. During his 9-year career, Ellis has only had one season in which he averaged less than 16.0 points per game which came in his rookie year with an average of 6.8 points per game. Over his career, his field goal percentage is a nice .454 while having a .319 three point percentage. This season, Monta Ellis is scoring 19.2 points per game with 4.3 assists per game in order to help the Mavericks become the 4th best in the NBA in scoring (104.4) and 8th in assists (22.4). Now I understand that it does not sound like the best percentages when compared to Derrick Rose's career percentages (FG%: .453/ 3P%: .306) and Rose does have a higher career assists than Ellis (6.5), but Ellis plays harder, much stronger, and more intense today than Rose has ever and Monta Ellis is three years older. Now yes, the age of 29 years old and health issues are there for him as he's only played in two seasons in which he started and played in all 82 games along with what many are calling "decline in play" or something of that nature. Also, his defense has never been the best every moment of the game. But his steals are about 1.7 over his career so it's a nice improvement than Rose's 0.8 steals in his career.
Price Tag: Monta Ellis is another one who has a player option with his team at about $8.72 million if picked up. However, if he feels that his value is much more (which I think it is), he could cost somewhere around $36 million over 3-4 years. Other teams interested may include Brooklyn, New York, Miami, Milwaukee, Washington, Indiana, Orlando, and Boston
-Name: Dwyane Wade
-Position(s): Shooting Guard
-Current Team:Miami Heat
Intro: The Chicago Bulls have always had a history of having some strong bench players that have made some huge impacts in clutch time. These past few years, the bench has had some strong performers but never a collection of outstanding personnel, mostly due to head coach Tom Thibodeau not playing them enough or at all sometimes. So how do we improve our team's bench and team in general? I think Dwyane Wade could do both. Although he's at the end, the Chicago, IL. native who was drafted out of Marquette by the Miami Heat in 2003 has been seemingly unstoppable for all of his 11 years in South Beach with three NBA titles (2006, 2012-2013) and an All-Star game appearance every year of his career. I've always loved watching Wade play on the court and I feel that a "coming home" would be good for both him and the Bulls next season.
Biggest Positives: Wade's plus sides stretch all over the place. He's so intense and right on the mark when it comes to offense as he's averaged just over 24 points per game in his career and has almost 6 assists per game over his career as well. This season, he's been helping Chris Bosh to hold the team as strong a possible by scoring 20.9 points per game and dishing out 5.3 assists per game. Defensively, Wade has always reached for perfection on the perimeter and in rebounds. He averages 1.7 steals per game over his career, while this season has been around 1.2 steals per game which shows that even at the age of 33, he still can play man-on-man defense. Rebounding wise, he's averaged close to 4.0 rebounds per game this season so there is some explosiveness in him to work with next season. It makes sense though when you consider that the Heat are 7th in the NBA for points allowed(97.0). Of course to some, it does sound a little demeaning by saying that he would be coming off the bench if he were to come to Chicago, and maybe I could be wrong where he would maybe become the starter. However, we cannot ignore that age is catching up along with injuries. But whether it would be as a starter or the sixth man, Dwyane Wade would be huge bump up in leadership and winning.
Price Tag: Dwyane Wade is currently on a player option contract with the Heat and could make $16,125,000 if he accepts it for next season(50/50 chance he retires if option picked up). But if Chicago can maybe make an appealing offer to Wade, perhaps the guard would be will to come back home for around a (potentially) reduced price of maybe $10-15 million on an one or two year deal. Other teams interested may include New York, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn, Oklahoma City, Houston, and Boston
-Name: Rudy Gay
-Position(s): Forward
-Current Team: Sacramento Kings
Intro: Every time I've watched the Bulls play, I love watching Nikola Mirotic take control at small forward because we haven't had such a impressive force sense Scottie Pippen. I know some of you want to claim and shout, "Luol Deng was amazing for us scoring and defensively!" and I'm sorry to say but you are wrong. Dang was inconsistent on offense with some solid nights of scoring 16 or 17 points and then would go on to have 4 points, 8 points, 11 points, 6 points and so on over the rest of the season. And don't even get me started on defense because "what defense?" is really the thing to say. That's where a guy like the Kings' forward Rudy Gay could be good for the team if they see fit to split ways with you Doug McDermott (I hope not) in order to add veteran play to the team. Gay has always found a way to make an impact since coming into the NBA from Connecticut to the Memphis Grizzlies and is at a prime moment in his career that Chicago should look into very strongly.
Biggest Positives: Rudy Gay has positives all over the place with a impressive overall game on offense and defense and has a form of consistency that many might tend to disagree sense his time of playing with teams has been sporadic with Memphis, Toronto, and Sacramento. Although Gay's season-by-season numbers come to a career average of 18.4 points per game, he is at a point in his career in which he can start stepping up as the man for a team as he's scored 20.5 points per game this season for the Kings, which to me means that he might become a 25+ points/game players by next season with the right team. Rudy Gay may also be one of the best defensive small forwards in the NBA in my opinion. His ability to challenge shots, grab rebounds at the highest point, and play on his man is incredible and would be a great answer to someone like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Carmelo Anthony. This season, Gay is averaging almost 6.0 rebounds per game, 1.0 steals per game, and 0.6 blocks per game. That's pretty solid sounding for a position that puts heavy emphasis on scoring. Although the black shots may not be there, his career average is 0.8 blacks per game, which means that at least you can depend on him to block a shot on most good nights.
Price Tag: This is Rudy Gay's last year on his five year contract of $82 million that has been with him while playing for three different teams. If Gay would be interested in coming to Chicago to play along side Mirotic at small forward, Rose's contract will need to disappear and Gay may need to consider less money, but he would definitely be a man that could help the Bulls get over the hump. If all were to happen, his cost could be around $68-72 million for possibly 5-6 years. Other teams interested may include New York, Brooklyn, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Denver.
-Name: LaMarcus Aldridge
-Position(s): Forward/ Center
-Current Team: Portland Trailblazers
Intro: In 1984, NBA Draft consisted on some of the best NBA players that would ever grace the planet. That was the historic draft in which the Portland Trailblazers took Kentucky center Sam Bowie with the 2nd overall pick over North Carolina guard Michael Jordan, that would eventually be taken with the 3rd overall pick by the Chicago Bulls. The rest is history. Then came 2006 and the Chicago Bulls now had the 2nd overall pick in the NBA Draft thanks to a trade that we had made with the New York Knicks for Eddy Curry (WHAT?!). Once it was time to draft, the Bulls had made their decision to select a kid from the University of Texas that was an outstanding athlete on both a physical and mental level. His name was LaMarcus Aldridge. However, revenge would be had by the Portland Trailblazers as they would trade their No. 4 overall pick, Tyrus Thomas, to Chicago for the rights Aldridge. The rest is history and I still feel the tears come every time I think about it. But here is our chance at him once again, and if we pass on the opportunity again, then I just don't know how much more faith I can have in the team.
Biggest Positives: Is there really even anything bad that can be said about LaMarcus Aldridge? The man is amazing on offense and defense. The 6'11" monster is averaging 23.3 points per game with a .457 field goal percentage and a career high .378 three point percentage this season alone. Defensively, he's averaging around 10.5 rebounds per game along with sending back a block a game this season. His domination with Portland has finally paid off as the Trailblazers are sitting in 8th in the NBA for scoring (102.7), 2nd in rebounds (46.1), and 9th in points allowed (97.5). While Aldridge has been hurt in the past for a lengthy amount of time, he still shows the ability to be a strong addition to players like Gasol and Mirotic with rebounds and scoring. Plus, he would be another great option to use against LeBron and Kevin Love (assuming Love stays in Cleveland next season) with his long arms and "can't be stopped" attitude that the Bulls are in desperate need of since only Butler, Mirotic, Gasol, Moore, and Brooks are right now the only ones that display anything close to that type of mindset.
Price Tag: LaMarcus Aldridge is in the last year of his 5 yr/ $65 million contract and is set to make around $16.5 million this season. After a season like this and depending how well Portland does in the playoffs, he could be looking for a contract in the realm of $75-90 million for somewhere between 5-7 years potentially. Other teams interested may include Boston, Denver, New York, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota, Washington, Memphis, Indiana, Phoenix, and Detroit.
-Name: Louis Williams
-Position(s): Point/ Shooting Guard
-Current Team: Toronto Raptors
Intro: Here in the Windy City, we've seem to have hit a slump in the guards' department ever since the great Michael Jordan left Chicago. Even Rose now has to be thrown into that mix. I understand that he has the ability to score well and won an MVP, but he's at the point where it's just not worth the headache or the time anymore to try and make him into something that is never going to transpire. Luckily, the team's new franchise player is shooting guard Jimmy Butler. So how do you compliment him? You get him an active and competitive guard in Louis Williams that shows all the potential to shine as a starting guard, but has never been given the "thumbs up" except one season '09 with 76ers. Originally drafted by Philly, he spent 7 seasons there before coming to Atlanta for two more, and is now with Toronto where he has kicked it up and into high gear. And at 28 years old, he is at the point where he should in the prime of his career; perfect timing if I may say so myself.
Biggest Positives: Many will probably say that Williams has no positives because of the fact that he is a bench player and only started in a total of 54 games over his 9 year career. However, Williams has proven to be a highly consistent shooter with an average of 15.0 points per game this season and field goal percentage of .393, which is low I will admit, but does not discourage me from saying that he should be signed. I mean he is part of the reason the Toronto Raptors are 4th in the NBA in scoring (104.3) and is considered by many to be the front runner for the Sixth Man of the Year Award. There may also be those that say that he is more like Rose because he is very "shoot first" in his style of play. After all, Louis Williams is considered and listed as a shooting guard in the NBA, and you don't have the word "shoot" in your job title only to pass the ball around. Still, his ability to find the smallest crack to fly through to get open and score would be huge for this team from either the starting lineup (possibly the point guard position) or coming off the bench to relieve Jimmy Butler. Defensively, he's about average for 6'1" guard with almost 2.0 rebounds per game and 1.1 steals per game, but I would not expect him to be grabbing five or six rebounds a night when guys like Mirotic, Butler, Gasol, and whoever else they could acquire would be snatching them out of the air.
Price Tag: Louis Williams is an unrestricted free agent after this season where he will have earned $5.45 million. Considering that Williams wins Sixth Man of the Year and plays well for Toronto in the playoffs, his asking price would probably be somewhere around $18.5-22 million on a 3-4 year deal. Other teams interested may include Phoenix, Indiana, Detroit, Charlotte, and Orlando.
-Name: Brook Lopez
-Position(s): Forward/ Center
-Current Team: Brooklyn Nets
Intro: It's time to start being honest with ourselves and start admitting that Joakim Noah is probably finished being a dominant force of the inside defensively and never really became a dominant offensive force inside like we've seen from guys like Gasol and now Mirotic. Even Gibson, for what it's worth, has showed that he's more physical inside these days than Noah. Of course, I know why he's no longer there and it's because of the accumulated injuries he's had over his career. But still, it's time the Chicago moved on and away from Noah and allow someone else to fill the gap. This past trade deadline, the Bulls should have made a move for Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez since he was sitting on the trading block for quite some time. With trade of Noah, Gibson, and even Hinrich (to get him out of here), they might have even thrown in Mason Plumlee if we attempted it. But honestly, Brook Lopez would be a good grab for the Bulls even though his stats are not "outstanding" like other big men in the NBA. Since his days of being a superstar at Stanford with his twin 7'0" center brother, Robin Lopez (currently in Portland), Brook Lopez has been quite an excellent player in 6 seasons for the Brooklyn Nets, even back when they were still in New Jersey. And since the Brooklyn Nets had made the decision to put on the trading block, I have a good feeling that he'll be looking elsewhere for an opportunity.
Biggest Positives: Brook Lopez brings a lot of good qualities to the table for the Bulls. One is his aggressive passion for the game and style of play. From what have always seen with my own eyes, Lopez has never been one to shy away from a challenge on the court. During his days at Stanford, I remember seeing him throwing his weight around, pressuring his man, contesting every shot, and showing that "next level" type of attitude that is needed in the NBA. His style of play is pretty simple and like many big guys: get the rebounds, block the shots, and slam the ball through the hoop. Seems pretty basic, but if it works for him, I'll take it. This year, Lopez is averaging 16.0 points per game with a field goal percentage of .501 and a .814 free throw percentage as well. Although he's having his second lowest points per game average of his career, it still beats what I have had to deal with from Joakim Noah with his 9.6 career average of points per game (Lopez career average is 17.7 PPG).
Noah does a few things over Lopez in that he is a much better rebounder (9.5 career average) and gets more assists (2.9 career average). Lopez has been averaging 7.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game this season alone with a career average of 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. However, Lopez and Noah are both somewhat evenly matched in blocked shots with Noah having 1.2 blocks per game (1.4 career average) and Lopez getting 1.7 block per game (1.7 career average). So by the numbers, Lopez is a much better shot blocker than Noah. Just like Noah also, Brook Lopez has had some trouble staying healthy, but only in these last four years. Joakim Noah has yet to play a full 82-game season in seven seasons with the Bulls. It's also worth mentioning that he leads his [drowning] Brooklyn Nets in scoring, rebounds, and blocked shots.
Price Tag: Right now, Brook Lopez is in his last year of his 4 yr/ $60 million deal with Brooklyn but may possibly decide that he wants to stay with the Nets by accepting his $16.7 million player option in his contract. However, I think that Lopez and the Nets are about to part ways after six years together. From seeing how Brook Lopez' season has been going and knowing what his capable of doing, he may be worth around $40-52 million for possibly 6-7 years. Other teams interested may include Los Angeles Lakers, Miami, New York, San Antonio, Charlotte, Memphis, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Indiana, and Utah.
-Name: Aaron Brooks
-Position(s): Point Guard
-Current team: Chicago Bulls
Intro: When it comes to point guards, the Chicago Bulls have seemed to become the factory of taking guys that are simple backups or less and turning them into incredible and vital pieces of the team. Those that have been apart of this factory have been C.J. Watson, Jon Lucas III, Nate Robinson, and D.J. Augustin. Each of these men were signed with the intention of being Derrick Rose's backup, however, Rose's ACL injuries kept him out of commission for some time that it was essential that these men be give the chance to step and make it count; every one of them did so. The problem was that after they had such amazing seasons, they were not resigned by the Bulls and went off to find another home that would give them the green light. So far, all four guards have either matched or dropped below what they were able to accomplish in Chicago. This is exactly why my Bulls cannot let go of point guard Aaron Brooks after this season. Since Derrick Rose's time was limited and now with the ACL surgery he has needed, Brooks has been a vital piece and spark plug for the team. For six years, Brooks has been a journeyman in the NBA that started by getting drafted by Houston, traded to Phoenix, went back to Houston, traded to Sacramento, went to Denver, traded back to Houston, and now is here in the Windy City. And just like the past four backups before him, he does not let his stature and size stop him from being a playmaker.
Biggest Positives: Right off the back, Brooks' biggest plus side is that he brings the same type of magic to the position that others before him have in the past. What is that magic? Well for Brooks, it would be his ability to hit three pointers. Some of you might wonder why I say that, but when you take into account that small forward Mike Dunleavy has the best three-point shooting percentage on the roster who takes three-pointers on a game-to-game basis (.410), Brooks then become the second best three-point scorer on the team with a .389 three-point percentage. As for Derrick Rose, he does the majority and works best at scoring when the ball inside to the net. But since the ACL injuries and surgeries occurred, Rose has tried to adjust to become more of a spot up shooter than a slasher guard which has been a nightmare as he sits on a .287 three-point shooting percentage this season (worst on the team). However, Brooks does not score a lot with an average of 11.5 points per game this season. But that does not mean that his scoring has not been a factor to why the Bulls are 14th in the NBA in scoring (100.8). It may not be the best, but it's a lot better from where Chicago use to be. Brooks also helps out in dishing out the assists with an average of 3.1 assists per game. Now that is less than Rose's average of about 5.0 assists per game, but the difference is that Brooks is much more careful about where he passes the ball which is why his turnover average is only 1.9, unlike Rose who has a turnover average of about 3.0 this season and 3.0 for his career average as well.
Price Tag: Chicago signed Aaron Brooks to a one year deal worth $1.14 million. After that, he'll become an unrestricted free agent just like the other backup point guards did as well. With hope that the Bulls' front office does not let this one go and he performs well till the end of the season and possibly through the playoffs, Brooks could earn a nice $4-5 million contract for 3 years. other teams interested may include Miami, New Orleans, Dallas, Boston, Washington, and Minnesota.
While writing this, I do understand that there are other factors that need to be taken into account and questions that have yet to be answered before these trades and free agent signings can happen. I feel though that my great city of Chicago is such a viable market with much to give and work with for ay player that is willing to become a part of this organization. This team has proven that it can win without it's star player in Rose because, and I'm being honest, he's no longer the franchise player. That title belongs to Jimmy Butler and possibly even Nikola Mirotic after the way he has been playing these past few games. If we can somehow sign one of these guys and make a big time trade for someone, I think we could see the Chicago Bulls have a chance to get over the hump and grab a hold of that lovely 7th trophy.
