The Chicago Bulls have a lot of question marks on the team as they prepare to enter the offseason. Derrick Rose is healthy which is a welcomed change from the past few offseasons, but other than that there are a lot of headlines that will hit the team come free agency. With new head coach Fred Hoiberg taking over the team, no one is truly guaranteed a returning spot on the roster and marquee trades could take place.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Hoiberg is a big fan of Taj Gibson, but has yet to make a mention of Joakim Noah. This is causing trade rumors to rise up as the center prepares to enter the final year of his contract and is set to make $13.4 million in the coming season.
"We had a lot of success with that at Iowa State, using our bigs as playmakers in the open floor,'' Hoiberg said, via the Sun-Times. "And then Pau's ability to get up and seal in transition or go right into a drag screen and pop with his ability to shoot. And then the bench players, Taj, I've always loved his ability to get out, he's a great defensive player.''
According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls will be exploring the market for both Gibson and Noah in order to find out who can garner the best return. Both players took a step back this season. Noah struggled with injuries and while his defensive production was fine, his offensive abilities were lacking. The same can be said for Gibson who struggled with less time on the court after Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic were added to the roster. The Bulls have a lot of money tied up on their salary cap and trading either player would give them flexibility.
There are a number of players hitting the open market this season and the Bulls would be a favored landing spot for any of them. LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe, DeAndre Jordan and Brook Lopez will all be available. They could easily take the place of Noah should he be traded. The issue will be money. With Jimmy Butler commanding a max contract, the idea of getting players like Aldridge or Jordan who will command a big deal might be difficult.
Outside of questioning whether or not Butler and Rose can coexist on the together, several secondary players need to have their futures determined. Aaron Brooks needs a new contract. He has done a solid job filling in for Rose who missed a good portion of the season due to injury. However, he is getting up there in age and it might not be worth it to keep the veteran around if he begins to command more money. Mike Dunleavy is also another player that has proven his worth to the Bulls, but he is 34 and might not be worth keeping around either. Dunleavy offers a lot to a team and Chicago should consider keeping his veteran presence and 3-point shot around.
