The Chicago Bulls are more inclined to trade Derrick Rose this offseason than deal away Jimmy Butler, according to the latest NBA rumors.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders claimed that the Bulls are not yet ready to let go of Butler, but are "actively open" to trading Rose, with the All-Star point guard entering the final year of his deal next season.
"League sources in Italy say the Bulls are actively open to moving guard Derrick Rose and that seems to be the first choice rather than shopping Butler," Kyler wrote.
Rose has been linked to numerous trade talks this season, and while he is pass his MVP days because of injuries, the 27-year-old point guard could still net the Bulls quality players in return, especially with many teams looking for a starting PG in the offseason.
According to Tom West of Sports Illustrated's Fansided, one of the teams in search for a talented point guard is the Sacramento Kings, who are expected to lose Rajon Rondo in free agency after the one-time NBA champ made his feeling clear about Sactown.
"There were too many distractions on and off the court. The organization as a whole, I don't think was together completely. I think as a team you have to want the best for the next man beside you, and that wasn't the case with the Sacramento Kings," Rondo told ESPN's The Jump.
With Rondo ready to bolt of Sacramento, as well as backup point guard Seth Curry, the team will surely look for someone who could run Dave Joerger's playbooks.
Rose, despite major setbacks that robbed him his explosiveness and athleticism, would still be one of the top candidates to fill the void at point guard position. Despite being limited by injuries, Rose still averaged 16.4 points and 4.7 for the Bulls this season, while playing heavy minutes.
The Kings could trade some of their key players like Ben McLemore or Rudy Gay and their No. 8 pick in the 2016 draft, which according to the latest mock draft by Bleacher Report could be Vanderbilt's Wade Baldwin IV.
The Bulls have been reportedly high on selecting a talented point guard in this year's class, as noted by Kyler, but prospects like Baldwin IV and Demetrius Jackson could already be gone when Chicago picks at No. 14. By trading for the Kings' No. 8 pick, the Bulls get a greater chance to grab one of the top PGs in the draft.
There is a growing sense that any deal involving Rose or Butler would be a move for the Bulls to move up the draft selection. Rose should be able to give Chicago a chance to select higher, but trading Butler would guarantee them top picks from teams like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers.