NBA Trade Deadline 2017: Chicago Bulls should trade for Eric Bledsoe
The NBA Trade Deadline is fast approaching, and the Chicago Bulls would be foolish to let it pass without making a deal. Shipping Jimmy Butler out of town and hitting the reset button has been covered thoroughly, but what if the Bulls went the other way?
The Chicago Bulls like making the playoffs.
They like the prestige, they like rubbing elbows with the upper echelon of the league, but most importantly, they like the money that comes from playoff ticket sales. Because of all that, it seems unlikely that Chicago will be making any trades that will torpedo their playoff chances, other than maybe something more on the margins like a first-rounder for Robin Lopez and Doug McDermott.
This means that, much to the dismay of tank enthusiasts, Jimmy Butler probably isn’t going anywhere. Even if the Bulls were enthusiastic about dealing him, Boston seems more interested in touting Terry Rozier as untouchable anyway, so I’m skeptical that anything gets done.
So if Butler isn’t being moved, what’s the plan for this team? Stay as is and get smacked out of a first round playoff series? (This is unless that series is against the Raptors on TNT.) If the Bulls are aiming for the playoffs, then let’s at least avoid complete embarrassment.
This team could get exponentially better without mortgaging the future by upgrading at point guard, and here’s a deal that could make that happen.
The Trade
Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit came up with a deal like this one earlier this season, and with the Eastern Conference playoff picture the way that it is, this trade makes a lot more sense than just doubling down on the current nonsensical lineup and seeing what happens in April.
Bledsoe is a maestro in the pick-and-roll, and he would immediately catapult this Bulls offense to another level. When he acts as the ball handler in pick-and-rolls, Bledsoe scores 1.01 points per possession, good for seventh in the NBA among players who handle at least four PnRs per game.
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Besides, do we really have high hopes for GarPax to pull off some miracle with the 17th pick? I don’t need another 24-year-old from a big-name program, and I’m guessing you don’t either.
If Chicago can get a player like Bledsoe for this price, they should absolutely take it. From Phoenix’s perspective, this gives them another pick, a potential backup for Devin Booker, and an open slot for the star point guard they’re sure to draft with their own pick. It’s a win-win.
Although his numbers are down a bit this season, Bledsoe has shot over 35 percent from long range in three different seasons over his career. Having a point guard that defenses respect from deep will make Jimmy Butler’s life a lot easier.
How many times have we seen Michael Carter-Williams do this?
I rest my case.
A Bulls team with an above-average starting point guard would have a fighting chance to actually win a playoff series rather than go home in embarrassment after five games. And while many Bulls fans may rather see a clean house this offseason, management included, that doesn’t look like it’s happening anytime soon.
Next: When is NBA Trade Deadline 2017?
If the choice is between doing nothing or giving it an honest try, I choose the latter.