The Chicago Bulls are hanging around in the eastern conference with Derrick Rose likely out for the season and now that reports have surfaced that Carmelo Anthony could consider the Chicago Bulls as a destination as a free agent, the team could decide to avoid trading players like Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer during the season as the deadline gets closer.

According to ESPN.com, Anthony likely will be opting out of his contract this summer with his early termination option that is part of his deal and while many feel that he will stay with the Knicks, the report says that the Los Angeles Clippers and the Bulls are the top options. The NY Post writes that Anthony respects head coach Tom Thibodeau and that playing with Derrick Rose would be a great thing since he is one of the best point guards in the NBA.

SB Nation writes that both Anthony and the Bulls head coach have the same representation and while sometimes too much it made of those connections, this time around it could matter, because the way the Knicks have played this season means he could be leaving. The Bulls have not made any indication that they are going to sell off Boozer or Deng, but talks have surfaced involving Deng already this season and they will only heat up as the trading deadline gets closer. Deng has an expiring contract and the team would like to re-sign him after the season, but after contract talks were tabled and Rose was injured, speculation ran rampant that the team would deal him.

Anthony is an interesting option for the Bulls and while he really doesn't fit into what they do, the team could be worries that Rose will get injured again and he could replace him as the main star of the franchise. The Bulls are coming into the weekend with a 13-18 record and they are second in the central division behind the Indiana Pacers and since this is the east, they still have a chance to make it into the playoffs and they have continued to play great defense, ranking second in the NBA.