The Bulls are in a tough spot. Despite having a talented roster, they don’t appear to be any closer to topping Cleveland and may soon be surpassed by younger teams in the East.
However, that could all change if they come up as the winners in the most recent round of DeMarcus Cousins rumors. According to Michael Scotto of Sheridanhoops.com, the Bulls are one of three teams that have “significant trade interest” in the Kings center.
As for Chicago, the Bulls are loaded with expendable frontcourt talent. Joakim Noah’s $13.4 million expiring contract and Taj Gibson are available, along with a young asset or draft pick. With former first-round pick Bobby Portis stuck behind a crowded frontcourt, Chicago is looking to clear a path for him to play more, one source said.
The Bulls may not be the most appealing of the three teams for the Kings, depending on their outlook for the next few years. If the Kings believe they need to rebuild, the Bulls likely wouldn’t have the draft picks to entice a trade.
However, there is reason to think the Bulls have a shakeup planned for their future. Fred Hoiberg has repeatedly said Bobby Portis will eventually get “meaningful minutes” this season. Unless he is expecting an injury or one of his players to slump, the only way Portis sees the court is with a trade.
Hoiberg says Bobby Portis will play "meaningful minutes" at some point this season.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) December 15, 2015
With the trade deadline still two months away, things don’t need to happen quickly. But the relationship between Cousins and head coach George Karl doesn’t seem to be improving. The Bulls hope to be in waiting when things finally break.
