NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls unlikely to trade Carlos Boozer
The Chicago Bulls have made it clear they want to make a major upgrade to their team, perhaps adding New York Knicks’ forward Carmelo Anthony or Minnesota Timberwolves’ power forward Kevin Love, and will get rid of veteran power forward Carlos Boozer to do so.
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The Bulls would like to trade Boozer, but are more likely to use the amnesty clause to waive him.
Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders does not believe Boozer gets traded.
"I have written this before, but for the Bulls to pay someone off in assets to get rid of Boozer would be a pretty “cost-conscious” move because they can always just amnesty him. I do not expect them to do this, unless perhaps it is part of a 3 team trade. The only real advantage in trading rather than amnestying Boozer is if they can get their free agent target while remaining over the cap so they can use the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions (about $5.3 and $2.1 million each) rather than being limited to the room exception ($2.7 million) if they use cap space to sign a player. To get far enough under the cap to sign a player like Carmelo Anthony, the Bulls would have to renounce all of their exceptions except the room exception.So I do not expect Boozer to be traded unless it is part of a sign and trade transaction for a free agent. In that case, getting to also use the BAE and the MLE (the BAE must be used first to use both) might be worth giving up a draft pick or two for the Bulls."
Boozer, 32, averaged 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game last season.