The Chicago Bulls could be looking to trade for Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay in hopes for completing a team that could contend in the playoffs next year.
According to Inquisitr writer Ernest Shepard, there is an imminent swap of players between the Bulls and Kings, with both teams needing to address the holes in their respective rosters. Shepard noted that a potential trade would land Gay for the Bulls, while the Kings would get in return veteran center Taj Gibson.
Gay, who is one of the NBA's most prominent vets available via trade, according to ESPN's Marc Stein, could be a valuable addition for the Bulls, who have signed veteran All-Stars Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade in free agency. Bringing in Gay would give the Bulls a versatile scorer and defender who can play the three or four spot for the Bulls, while trading Gibson would pave way for Bobby Portis' development.
However, there is little sense for the Kings to acquire another big man, when the team already has a loaded frontcourt led by DeMarcus Cousins and Willie Cauley-Stein. The Kings would probably want a point guard in return after losing Rondo and Seth Curry this summer, which means any potential deal the Bulls attempt to land Rudy Gay would require a third party.
An intriguing third team that could complete such deal is the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Wolves have been involved to trade talks about acquiring Bulls player whom they can reunite with Tom Thibodeau. With Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah already in New York, the remaining players Thibs may want to trade for is Gibson.
In a three-way deal that works on ESPN's trade machine, the Bulls could acquire Gay by sending Gibson to the Wolves for a reunion with Thibodeau. Minnesota then sends Ricky Rubio to the Kings, giving Sacramento a quality floor commander they could pair with Cousins and any of their big men.
It seems the Kings would move Gay eventually, with the 29-year-old set to enter the final year of his three-year extension with the team. The Bulls would be a good fit for Gay, but unless the Kings want a stockpile of big men in their lineup, giving up Gibson does not look like an option Sac should consider.