NBA Rumors: Chicago To Trade First Round Picks!…Really?

Nov 21, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets guard Nate Robinson (10) during the second half at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 97-87. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Boy the Pippen Peoples are in a tizzy over the latest of the NBA rumors. Word around the campfire is that the Chicago Bulls and the Denver Nuggets want to trade first round picks in the upcoming 2014 NBA draft. According to Chad Ford of ESPN, these squads have discussed trading Denver’s No.11 pick for the Bulls No. 16 and 19 picks. If the Bulls are successful, their potential target is either Nik Stauskas or Gary Harris. For the information in its totality click on Michael Rosenfeld’s piece on this possible breaking story. It’s an informative and good read. It’s so good that I had to say something about this situation. COME ON BULLS! REALLY?

As always, no one can put too much into any NBA rumors concerning the  Chicago Bulls. If you do that, you probably believe that  you can go to Atlantic City  and break the casinos. There are so many scenarios that the Bulls put out there from the front office that no one can believe in it until there is a press conference for the announcement.

A couple of weeks ago, Pippen Ain’t Easy went into detail breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of Nik Stauskas and Gary Harris. Both of these players are very talented and can help the Bulls out in the future. Forget the NBA rumors for a minute. Let’s deal with the real. NEITHER of these players are worth trading TWO picks to move up and select in the draft.

Here’s why…

Who’s your coach?

Pippen Peoples, let me introduce you to Tom Thibodeau. He is the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. His likes are players that are strong defensively, plays hard and doesn’t mind being overworked playing long minutes on a basketball floor (also read…closes their eyes and run through brick walls for him.) Some players that fit this mold are…

Joakim Noah

Kirk Hinrich

Jimmy Butler

Luol Deng (I know he doesn’t play for the Bulls anymore  but if you have heard about all of the physical ailments these days, you get the point.)

Thibodeau’s turnoffs include

Carlos Boozer.

Carlos Boozer’s presence.

Carlos Boozer’s defensive acumen.

This conversation right now about Carlos Boozer.

Another thing that Thibodeau does not like is playing rookies. he doesn’t trust them and they get very little opportunity to play. Let’s ask Jimmy Butler. Then when you are done ask Tony Snell.

There is another thing Tom Thibodeau hates doing. Playing anyone who he doesn’t think will play his defensive schemes efficiently. Remember the Bench Mob in this past playoff season? None of them got off the bench even though they should have been used somewhat in the Washington series. Let’s take a deep breath and think for a second. If you watched Tom Thibodeau run the starters and Taj Gibson into the ground while looking at Mike James, Jimmer Fredette, Lou Amundson, Nazr Mohammed and Ronnie Brewer be polished NBA equipment moving mannequins do you really think Stauskas or Harris have a shot. Remember, they Bulls are rumored to trade TWO first round picks for the trouble. Just sayin.

I do believe that Stauskas and Harris can help the Bulls with outside shooting. Stauskas is an outstanding shooter who can also take the ball to the basket strong and finish. Gary Harris can hit the outside shot and play the strong defense that Michigan State Spartans are known for. That should fit the mold of Tom Thibodeau’s defensive schemes quite nicely don’t you think?

One problem though. Wasn’t Jimmer Fredette brought in for outside shooting? Based on the last game he saw the floor for the Bulls he was pretty good at it too, scoring 17 points on 7-14 shooting filling in for D.J. Augustin. What did that get him? A front row seat to watch the playoffs.

If you need more food for thought, how about the ongoing feud between Gar Forman and Tom Thibodeau? If they aren’t talking, how are they going to get on the same page about the immediate needs the Bulls have to make to fill out this roster much less make this team better. Knowing these two they would fight over which player to draft IF these NBA rumors are true.

Right now the Bulls need players under contract. Outside of the core players Tom Thibodeau counted on last year…Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Carlos Boozer (for now) how are you going to fill this roster with decent players that can keep the Bulls out of the lottery? Kirk Hinrich is not under contract. How about D.J. Augustin? I’m not even going to waste your time with the end of the bench. If the Bulls do a sign and trade for a major free agent like Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony, I’m going to assume the trade will included one of these players under contract listed above. Taj Gibson will be at the top of the wanted list unless Flip Saunders and Phil Jackson are clueless. Which they are not.

Before you go to the comments section and tell me that I have annoyed you…again, riddle me this, what happened to the Carmelo Anthony deal that was in the works? Kevin Love? To get these guys, I going to assume that these teams are going to want the Chicago Bulls first round draft picks. New York wants one so they can get in the party and say they did something. Minnesota  is going to fleece ANYONE who gets their hands on Kevin Love.

The Chicago Bulls have to exhaust all of their options, I get that. But I do think they have to get a plan and stick with it. Either they are going to build a team to win now and get a free agent or take a few steps back and build through the draft. They can’t do both.

Mister Rosenfeld brought up an outstanding point in his article that prompted me to write this piece. The financial side. You see Pippen Peoples, none of these NBA rumors are worth a grain of salt without crunching the numbers “Reinsdorf” style.

If the Bulls ARE trading up to lower the number of money committed to the rookies under the salary cap, I would recommend the Bulls fans to find another source of entertainment in November (Like logging on to Pippen Ain’t Easy hopefully we will be more entertaining.) . Let’s break that salary down one more time…

The 16th pick in the draft commands: $1,419,200.

The 19th pick in the draft commands: $1,223,200.

All together the Bulls have to pay both rookies: $2,462,400.

If the Bulls trade up to get the 11th pick in the draft they have to spend: $1,834,100.

Savings: $808,300.

The Chicago Bulls have told the Bulls fans since the Luol Deng trade that the team is retooling for the time being. The Chicago Bulls also have told the Bulls fans that they are building for a championship. I’m not telling Bulls management to go all Brooklyn Nets and start writing blank checks but trading up to save 808,300 dollars does not look like the business plan for a team going all in to get Derrick Rose and company assets for a championship run. Plus neither of these players are guaranteed splashes. Jabari Parker? Yes. Andrew Wiggins? Yes. Julius Randle? Yes. Nik Stauskas? No, and I’m a Michigan fan. Gary Harris? No, and I watched this guy in the Big Ten.

To all of the Pippen Peoples that flooded the website to check us out on this story, thank you. Now let me warn you. If the Bulls trade up to get the 11th pick it is a huge mistake. Just because a team moves up in the draft does not mean the player will pan out. Does any of the Pippen Peoples trust Gar Forman with ONE first round pick? There’s a comments section below, let us know.

The Bulls need assets. Two players are better than one at this point in my opinion for a team that needs depth. Badly.

1) Derrick Rose is no guarantee of staying healthy at this point. The Bulls can’t keep rolling the dice and praying they can find a Nate Robinson or D.J. Augustin on NBA’s skid row to China.

2) The Chicago Bulls are going to need frontcourt depth considering the countdown to amnesty is coming to Carlos Boozer’s departure and the knee injury to Joakim Noah. Taj Gibson will be in any deal to get rid of Boozer’s contract trust me. That’s how toxic the Bulls made Carlos Boozer at this point. Then what? Nazr Mohammed plays 20 minutes a night? Good luck with that!

These rumors will come out daily Pippen Peoples. One rumor may be more ridiculous than the other leading to draft night. MAYBE one rumor may be true. That’s why it’s imperative to keep it locked to Pippen Ain’t Easy for all of your Bulls news, previews and reviews.