With a record of 27-25, the Chicago Bulls are currently seventh overall in the Eastern Conference standings. This season has been a disappointment for the Bulls, who started the year with high expectations after hiring Fred Hoiberg as their coach. However, Chicago has gone through some growing pains adjusting to Hoiberg and an early injury to Derrick Rose and a more recent injury to Jimmy Butler hasn't helped matters as well.
So what are the Bulls to do?
Well according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bulls are looking to trade one of the best assets, All-Star big man Pau Gasol, before Thursday's trade deadline. Gasol will can decline his player option this summer and become a free agent. According to Wojnarowski, the Bulls are hoping to trade Gasol now instead of losing him for nothing in the summer:
The Chicago Bulls are aggressively shopping All-Star forward Pau Gasol, league sources told The Vertical.
Gasol, 35, can opt out of his contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent, and Bulls general manager Gar Forman seems determined to move him before Thursday's trade deadline with the hope of bringing back value.
Gasol is expected to decline the player option on the $7.4 million owed him in 2016-17.
Gasol should be a desirable player for several teams. At 35, he is still a highly productive player and is averaging a double-double of 17.0 points and 10.9 rebounds. He could definitely help a team that is on the cusp of contending for a championship.
While Gasol has been one of the best players on the Bulls, this report shows that Chicago is acknowledging that this current roster can't beat some of the better teams in the East like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors. Gasol would probably leave Chicago this summer to join a championship contending team, so it is prudent of the Bulls to get a player or some assets now. If they actually trade Gasol, it will be step back now but it is more of a long-term move that could help the Bulls reach elite status in the East again.
