Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 14, Bulls and Rockets
In the lead up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline, we’re taking all 30 teams and finding mutually beneficial partners. Every day will offer up a new deal with two new consorts. It’s kinda like the 12 days of Christmas, but instead of hens-a-laying and pear trees and other useless nonsense from your true love, you’re getting fake trades from me for a much higher holy day: the NBA trade deadline. Strap in tight, it’s trading season!
This season, the Bulls were 15-12 when Nikola Mirotic played and 3-22 in all their other games. Last week, Chicago traded Mirotic to New Orleans. Sure, even over that positive 27-game window, it’s pretty safe to say this team was nothing more than a glass cannon with no actual shot at making a run at the 8-seed. Now that their good luck charm is playing in the Big Easy, it’s time to sell off the veterans.
Daryl Morey is always looking for the next big fish. LeBron James, with a future in flux and the power to single-handedly shift the balance of the NBA, has been mentioned as an attainable possibility for the Rockets. Kelly Iko reports Houston is currently dredging the league in hush-hush fashion to find takers for Ryan Anderson. His averages of 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and millstone defense aren’t quite worthy of $19 million per year. Clearing his contract for more manageable pieces would go a long way in making James (or another huge catch) a reality.
Why the Bulls do it:
Chicago is in the middle of what should be a lengthy rebuild. They have the lowest team salary in the league, so adding a few million to the docket won’t do any harm. The Bulls showed their propensity to absorb bad contracts when they took on Omer Asik, an utterly useless NBA player, to gain a first-round pick.
Here, they’re taking on a lesser-valued first rounder for a much better player. In Chicago, Anderson would be a complementary partner with any of their young bigs and would be coming off the books when they’re feasibly ready to contend again. They might as well get an asset in the meantime.
Why the Rockets do it:
Morey knows star power wins in the NBA and isn’t afraid to make splashy deals. In 2012, he shocked the league by swooping in and acquiring James Harden. Then again over this past summer with his byzantine transpositions for Chris Paul. Of all Morey’s mastermind stratagems, landing LeBron would be his Mona Lisa. The price of (what should be) a late first-round pick two years from now would be well worth the possibility.
Next: Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 13, Magic and Wizards
As we’ve seen in the past, if the Rockets have a shot at a front-line player, they’re going to take it. We know Morey always puts them in the position to make something of that magnitude happen, even if he has to pull a dozen levers in the process. Houston’s first step is to clear salary room if by chance that King-sized opportunity was to come knocking.