The Chicago Bulls fell short of expectations though such came with a stroke of bad luck. They had to deal with injuries to key players all season long and such told in the NBA playoffs.
Come NBA free agency, the Chicago Bulls are expected to undertake another massive rebuilding phase. With key players like Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah likely lost this Summer, hooking up worthy replacements can only happen if they can find a way to flex their team salary budget.
Derrick Rose trade is top priority
Speaking of budget, Derrick Rose holds a large chunk of that. He is scheduled to earn $21.3 million (per Spotrac) this year, the final year of the contract he signed back in 2013.
When he was healthy, Rose was worth every penny of that five-year deal. Given the fact that the Bulls got the raw end of it when the former NBA MVP got bit by the injury bug, it doesn’t come as a surprise that they have placed Rose on the block.
Rose and teammate Jimmy Butler are actually the subject of trade rumors but the Bulls are expected to deal away Rose over Butler moving forward. But the next question is who would agree to absorb that $21.3 million for next season?
Derrick Rose trade a priority but unrealistic
The Bulls will have a hard time finding a way to work around a potential Derrick Rose trade. Teams will likely wait for the 2016-17 season to pitch at the 27-year-old guard meaning most teams are not expected to pursue him.
Despite a report from Basketball Insiders that Derrick Rose is on his way out, it seems hard to imagine how the Bulls can get rid of him. The Bulls could free themselves of $21.3 million which may be used on players who will cost less though it will take major strings to pull that one off.
The Bulls are reportedly interested in several players who are ironically all point guards. That includes Wade Baldwin VI, Demetrius Jackson and Kris Dunn who will likely be picked at the 2016 NBA Draft.
Could the eventual teams who gets this players arrange a trade with the Bulls for Rose?
