Bulls trade talks

The Chicago Bulls are in talks with the Toronto Raptors about trading Carlos Boozer for Andrea Bargnani.

The trade scenario comes from Marc Stein on ESPN.COM after sources told him that the Bulls and Raptors were in trade talks.

Boozer makes $15 million and Bargnani only makes $10 million this season. In order to make the trade work the Bulls would have to use the $5 million trade exception they have from trading Kyle Korver to the Atlanta Hawks. This would make the trade work money wise, but the question is should the Bulls trade Boozer?

Boozer has not lived up the five-year $75 million contract he signed two years ago. That’s a lot of money for a guy averaging 16 points and nine rebounds in three years as the Bulls power forward. That’s not going to cut it if he’s the second go to guy after Derrick Rose. The problem with this trade is that Boozer is a better player than Bargnani and is staying healthy this season.  

The reason Bulls would make the trade is because Bargnani makes $5 million less and can stretch the floor better than Boozer can. The Bulls fans have moaned and groaned about boozer being weak and disappearing when the team needed him most. The problem is that Bargnani hasn’t been any better at least so far this season. Bargnani has only played 23 out of the possible 50 games this season. Bargnani has average 16 points and only four rebounds in those 23 games. The four rebounds will not cut it for Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Boozer might disappear in crunch time for the Bulls but Bargnani might not even have that chance, as he might be out of the line-up because of an injury. Bargnani would stretch the floor for the Bulls and that would open up lanes for Rose. The problem with Bargnani is two things: First, he’s not known for playing defense. Second, he’s been injury prone for the past two seasons.

The idea of trading Boozer and his terrible contract sounds great for Bulls fans but the thought of what the Bulls would get in return makes the Bulls and the fans think twice about it.

Remember the old saying Bulls fans “The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”