May 14, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots the ball over San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) in game five of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 104-82. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Well Pippen Peoples, it looks like we’re getting close to the end of our Chicago Bulls trade talk documentary series. Pippen Ain’t Easy has been counting down the five best and worst trades in Chicago Bulls history. Hopefully you have been following along and learned something along the way. I know I have. With the lack of trades going on lately, I thought that we could do something to fill in the gap.
After the Chicago Bulls lost out on the Kevin Love sweepstakes last month, it looks like there is more Chicago Bulls trade talk coming out of Minnesota. I think that the talk is only coming out of Minnesota, but there are rumors floating that Kevin Martin is being dangled in front of the Chicago Bulls. For more information, check out Pippen Ain’t Easy for the analysis and breakdown of the trade.
Sometimes it can get frustrating for Chicago Bulls fans watching other teams making major roster moves such as the Cleveland Cavaliers activity this summer. It starts with the free agency prize of the summer, LeBron James and then they follow it up with the Kevin Love trade. It makes you wonder if the Chicago Bulls are doing enough. Well history shows us that Chicago has always built their teams through the draft and free agency coup every once in a while. But they do make trades. Some turn out to be good and some trades make it to this list.
The fifth worst trade of the Chicago Bulls Trade Talk series went way back in Chicago Bulls history. The Bulls traded their first real superstar, Artis Gilmore to the San Antonio Spurs for Dave Corzine and Mark Olberding. Artis Gilmore went on to be a Hall of Famer and I’m still trying to figure out who Mark Olberding is.
The fourth worst trade of the Chicago Bulls Trade Talk series pretty much got Jerry Krause fired. The Chicago Bulls traded Elton Brand to the Los Angeles Clippers (back when they stunk) on draft night for Tyson Chandler in 2001. Krause was still trying to show the NBA world that organizations win championships. Elton Brand went on to have a long career that is still going on to this day. He just resigned with the Atlanta Hawks. Tyson Chandler has won a NBA title and NBA Defensive player of the Year award. This was in Dallas though. As for Krause, well maybe Michael Jordan and the namesake of this website, Scottie Pippen might have had a little more to do with the championships than Krause gave them credit for. Just sayin.
The third worst trade of the Chicago Bulls Trade Talk series made me sad. That was the trade that sent Ron Artest, Brad Miller, Ron Mercer and Kevin Ollie to the Indiana Pacers for Jalen Rose and a sack of potatoes and a dirty Andy Gibb T-shirt. It was the first big deal for John Paxson as General Manager. Let’s just say that he won’t bring this deal up when it’s time to negotiate for his contract extension. Jalen Rose was reportedly a locker room distraction and the other two are not going to be mentioned in this article. Nuff said!
Now Pippen Peoples, lets check out the second worst trade in Chicago Bulls history. When you get finished reading this, you will get an understanding of how good the Doug McDermott trade was on draft night.
June 28, 2006
The Chicago Bulls trade LaMarcus Aldridge to the Portland Trail Blazers
FOR
Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Kryapa (I know, I know…who in the world is this guy?)
This was bad Pippen Peoples, this was bad. Armageddon bad. Somebody had to have been fired for this move. As time goes by, this trade will continue to get worse.
Lets get Viktor Kryapa out-of-the-way. He was drafted in the first round by the New Jersey Nets. He never played a game for them. He played two seasons in Portland. He scored 538 points total. Now when he was traded to the Bulls he got well…bad! He played 42 games shot 38 percent from the field while scoring 105 points…IN TWO YEARS! His final season he scored 32 points total. Let’s put this in perspective. Michael Jordan pretty much averaged around that much for a career.
If that was bad enough (and it is), Tyrus Thomas was worse. Thomas is out of the league after continuing the long line of LSU players that turn out to be busts. Think about this Pippen Peoples, Anthony Randolph, who the Bulls had to take off the Denver Nuggets hands just to get the McDermott deal done was more of a help to the Bulls than Tyrus Thomas…and he was in Chicago only a month before getting traded to Orlando.
Tyrus Thomas averaged only seven points and four rebounds per game for his career. When he played for the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) he was so bad he was amnestied from the team. Now if anyone wants to start the Carlos Boozer jokes, think about this. At least Carlos Boozer was good for 13 points and defensive rebounding. Tyrus Thomas did not do anything but throw up bricks from 18 feet out on the floor. He was an example of an athlete that couldn’t play a lick.
As for LaMarcus Aldridge. UGH! I know what the Bulls front office was thinking back then. Save a buck. Oops! Aldridge is on his way to superstar status. He is the undisputed franchise player for Portland and will continue for years to come.
Did anyone see Aldridge play in last year’s playoffs? Do you think the Bulls could have used him against the Wizards last year? He would have destroyed the front line of Washington. There’s no telling how far the Bulls would have gotten last year. The Pacers wouldn’t have stopped the Bulls. We’re talking the Eastern Conference Finals here.
With his career averages of 19 points and eight rebounds shows us that the Bulls blew this one…bad! Think about a squad of Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Aldridge in your staring lineup. The Bulls realistically could have been back to the NBA Finals by now. Just a fun fact for the Carlos Boozer “fans” out there. If the Bulls keep LaMarcus Aldridge, they don’t need to sign Carlos Boozer. Just sayin.
Only one more trade left in our Chicago Bulls Trade Talk series. Which trade is the worst? Keep it locked to Pippen Ain’t Easy, for that answer along with all of the latest Chicago Bulls news, previews and reviews. Like us on Facebook: Pippen Ain’t Easy and follow us on Twitter: @BullsBeatBlog.