The Chicago Bulls made a money saving move on Monday night when they pulled the trigger on a trade that sent All-Star forward Luol Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers for what amounted to draft picks. Andrew Bynum’s contract was just part of the money saving aspect of the deal as the Bulls cleared around $20 million in cap space and got back under the luxury tax threshold.
But the trading may not be over and the Bulls may continue to throw fuel overboard as their season crashes and burns. According to ESPN insider Chad Ford, who held a weekly NBA chat session, the Bulls may end up moving Joakim Noah if another great deal comes around.
Before fans get too crazy over the idea, it’s not likely to happen. Tires being kicked on a trade and one actually happening are two different things, and trading Noah would be a last resort for the Bulls if even that.
The Bulls trading Deng was a great deal, no matter how fans may feel personally about Deng. They acquired $20 million in cap space and draft picks to help build for the future or move up in this year’s draft to take someone like Jabari Parker. Noah is an anchor on this team but Chicago belongs to Derrick Rose.
Moving Noah would be a sure-fire signal that the Bulls are tanking, something almost everyone assumes anyways. Ford mentions that a lot of chatter has involved Noah in trade circles and Chicago apparently hasn’t counted out trading him. Ric Bucher published a report in late 2013 that stated the Bulls discussed a LaMarcus Aldridge for Joakim Noah trade over the summer, which means trading him isn’t a new idea.
Clearing Noah’s salary would mean the Bulls could assemble a slew of top free agents, but Ford points out that Luol Deng is among those op free agents this offseason, which highlights the problems in Chicago.