Doug McDermott has barely been in the NBA for a month and already his name is getting tossed around in trade rumors. The swingman was drafted to the Chicago Bulls and has since seen his name involved in the negotiations for Kevin Love as the Bulls have re-entered the race for the forward. Lacking a quality trade package compare to what Golden State and Cleveland can offer, the Bulls have tossed the idea around of making McDermott available, something he is simply trying to ignore.
McDermott is trying to focus on preparing for the NBA season rather than focus on trade rumors. The swingman signed a contract so he is not technically available for just under 30 days per NBA rules, but after that anything is fair game.
"I didn't really pay attention to it much,'' McDermott said, via the Chicago Sun Times. "I think rumors happen a lot. There's been a lot this offseason. So you've just got to stay patient. You can't really read into that stuff. I'm just focused on what I can do to become better.''
At least teams believe McDermott is going to be good enough to swing for in a trade. There are plenty of high expectations for McDermott after a successful and award-winning college career. The Minnesota Timberwolves have shown some interest in him since the Bulls hinted that he might be available. Chicago must include McDermott if they have any hope of landing Love. Right now a package consisting of Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler does not seem to be peaking much interest.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are trying to figure out their roster whether that includes McDermott or not. After acquiring Pau Gasol in free agency and signing him to a generous contract, the center has no guarantees of being a starter. Right now, Joakim Noah is naturally the starting center for the team, meaning that Gasol might be forced into a power forward role, something that went south with the Los Angeles Lakers when the team had Dwight Howard. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the Bulls are not guaranteeing the veteran a starting spot, making him show his versatility before deciding his role.
Gasol likely would not have signed with the Bulls if he did not think he would be a starter. The a spot is likely his to lose, but if Gasol shows any signs of struggle, it sounds like the Bulls will not hesitate to keep him on the bench.
