Chicago Bulls: Bleacher Report proposes possible Chris Paul-OPJ trade

If the Chicago Bulls elect to fix this rebuild with a trade, what route should they go to try and land a star or at least a veteran mentor?

In an opinion piece that dropped on Bleacher Report by NBA writer Andy Bailey on Dec. 10, the Chicago Bulls had an interesting possible former superstar point guard to pursue if they were to hit the trade market to try and find answers this season. The front office has yet to shed light on what the plan would be if the Bulls don’t make any progress in the win column before the end of the calendar year.

This trade proposal involved the Bulls sending small forward Otto Porter Jr. and forward Cristiano Felicio to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for veteran point guard Chris Paul. The money would about even out, and each team would fill a need that surfaced at this point of the regular season.

The Thunder would be taking on the money of OPJ (roughly $28 million through his player option next year) and Felicio might be waived in this scenario. OPJ spent much of the season so far dealing with a foot fracture and Felicio is also dealing with injury issues.

Nothing matches what the Bulls would be taking on with Paul’s money, though, in the way of an individual contract. He’s due roughly $38, $41, and $44 million overt the course of this season and the next two. He was one of the initial point guards to receive that supermax deal.

At lease CP3 is posting relatively efficient numbers in his first season in OKC. He is averaging more than 15 points per game and six assists. CP3 also has a player efficiency rating north of 20.

At this point of his lengthy and accomplished NBA career, Paul finds himself in a steady role as more of a mentor and second or third option on a good team. That makes sense considering he is now 34-years-old.

Hitting the trade market might be a good option for the Bulls if the losing ways continue. The third year of this rebuild didn’t bring the ideal results thus far. Paul presents an interesting trade candidate too, especially if the Thunder were willing to take on other bad Bulls contracts.

Although the Bulls looked good in their Dec. 11 win at home at the United Center over the Atlanta Hawks, by an impressive 34-point margin, the state of the franchise still isn’t good. The Bulls moved their record to 9-17 through the first 26 games of the season with their Wednesday night win over the Hawks.

The Bulls do desperately need a win over the Charlotte Hornets at home on Dec. 13. Entering the regular season, the Bulls had playoff expectations. The Eastern Conference certainly provides ample opportunity for this Bulls team to make a playoff leap.

Trade discussions might start to trickle down from the top for the Bulls if the losses continue to pile up. The Bulls could reach double-digit wins on the season with a win over the young and rebuilding Hornets. But the Hornets are stingy and already knocked the Bulls off in the regular season opener.