Setting Up for Better Offense

Although I try to avoid player acquisition rumors on this blog, the noise that has been going around the Bulls and really the NBA has finally merited a post.  Several reports have been making their rounds on how the team plans to use this offseason to improve itself into an immediate title contender while the window remains open with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah as key components. 

Carmelo Anthony's camp is supposedly looking at the Bulls as their top destination should the superstar fail to sign a new deal with New York.  The Bulls are trying to set themselves up to acquire Kevin Love.  Most recently, we've learned they want to deal the 16th and 19th picks in next week's draft to either move up the board or acquire veteran scoring help.

I know that's a lot to take in, but it's very clear that after the offense flamed out last season and it became a more glaring problem in the playoffs, Gar Forman and John Paxson want to do something about it.  It all starts with exercising the amnesty clause with Carlos Boozer, which we've talked at length about for some time now.  Once that's done, they'll truly be free to explore their options. 

I've said all along I'd be open to trading up in this highly stacked draft.  You may also have read before I'd advocate the drafting of Doug McDermott, the national player of the year with lots of scoring potential.  That seems to be a typical Gar/Pax draft selection and they may not have to go too far up to draft him.  He's slipped to 14th in the mock draft on NBADraft.net, but is at ninth in the latest SI mock draft.  There's no telling where he could land, but I stand by my stance that McDermott is the guy to go with.

Of course, the bigger story is whether Anthony, Love or even LeBron James will be in a Bulls uniform next season.  I doubt James will be coming here despite the efforts I'm sure the front office will make to lure him here.  I saw Love at the United Center back in January when the Timberwolves beat the Bulls without Noah and liked what I saw.  He truly is a rich man's all-purpose player and would be an immediate upgrade over Boozer.  Should he arrive here, the only problem I see is that it could conflict with Nikola Mirotic's arrival, which may or may not happen this fall.  The Bulls can only keep him in the Spanish League for so long until he feels a need to play in the NBA immediately.  There's also the players they'd have to give up in a trade, but I'll get to that in a moment.

Anthony is the Bulls' first option to add scoring and quite frankly, he would make this team a top contender in the East.  They've been lacking that second primary scorer for too long and he would finally be it.  The Miami rumors are losing steam and the choices for new destinations seem to have been narrowed down to the Bulls and the Rockets.  Regardless, leaving the Big 3 to their own devices would give him a chance to form his own legacy instead of riding the coattails of other stars.  Of course, we don't know if the Big 3 will even be together next season and that will make things really interesting in the conference.

The hiccup for this is that Anthony would be leaving lots of money on the table with the Knicks, so I'd still bet that he'll re-sign there.  Besides that, the Bulls would be dealing quite a few big names to free up the space to acquire him.  These may include, but not be limited to Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, two players who have done everything they could for the Bulls as an everyman and sixth man respectively.  Gibson himself has been told to train as a starter would for next season, so he's going to contribute handily somewhere in 2014-15.  No matter what, the Bulls should only part with anyone of note if they know they'll have their second star for the next few years.  There's no point in making yourself less competitive in other areas if long-term winning is not guaranteed as an exchange.

Like every other Bulls fan, I just want one of these big names to dispel the notion that Chicago is not a destination city for top NBA players.  We've been waiting for a team that can truly rival the talent and intensity of the 90s Bulls.  The 2011 team teased us with a trip to the conference finals and the following year, Rose's ACL tear changed everything.  Somebody needs to come here and be a bit of a savior, but also willing to share the spotlight with Rose and Noah.  Carmelo, Kevin, LeBron, if any of you happen to be reading this, we need you.  Don't try and be our new Jordan, but allow us to make fair comparisons to him.  You do that by winning and here, you have a great opportunity to do so.

I'd like to conclude this post by congratulating friend and fellow blogger Lucas Mitzel of Confessions of a Sportscaster on his nuptials this coming weekend.  I'll be one of his ushers and I'm sure a splendid time is guaranteed for all.  May one of these players be a late wedding gift for everyone in Chicago to share.