The NBA trade rumors continue for the Chicago Bulls as a more extensive rebuild may be necessary.
One of the continued debates that have raged their fan base is whether to trade Derrick Rose or Jimmy Butler. This is a question that KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune has repeatedly asked.
"For myriad reasons, a smooth partnership between the two has become untenable," Johnson opined. "It's less somebody's fault than a situation where each player believes he's the No. 1 option, a classic case of will and skill colliding."
He also breaks down the parameters of the decision on which player should go.
"It's less about who's the better player and more about who's the better fit.
Neither possesses knockdown 3-point shooting ability to play well off one another. Both prefer to have the ball. Butler has added a screen-and-roll element to his game that nobody envisioned when he first came into the league," Johnson concluded.
While the "better player" right now is Jimmy Butler, trading him would leave the Bulls vulnerable especially if Rose's injury history is considered. So why would anyone trade for Rose and his hefty price tag?
"Rose is poised for a strong season given that he finally put a mostly healthy one in the books - playing 66 games in 2015-16 - and is entering a contract year," Johnson noted. This would also mean that Rose would only be a short-term burden for the team that would take him.
If the Bulls would decide on trading Rose, Sports Cheat Sheet suggested the Sacramento Kings as a possible destination.
According to Ryan Davis, "the Kings could move disappointing lottery pick Ben McLemore to the Bulls in exchange for Rose, or they could move backup center Kosta Koufas and his $8 million salary next year. Either deal would probably work for the Bulls."
For the Kings, they would probably lose Rajon Rondo and unlikely to sign top free agent point guards like Mike Conley this summer. Thus, trading for Rose could be the only option to get star power at the position-something the Kings have wanted when they took a risk on Rondo at a time that no other team would.