Derrick Rose (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The NBA trade rumors continue as teams with cap space like the Dallas Mavericks could resort to trading off their cap space.
With a vacancy at point guard and a publicized pursuit of big names like Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard, the Mavs may not be able to sign a big name even as Deron Williams is now a free agent.
This was the basis for Mavericks team site The Smoking Cuban to suggest that their team trade for Derrick Rose.
"If Dallas did miss out on other options, Derrick Rose wouldn't be the worst option," Isaac Harris of TSC wrote. "With Dirk Nowitzki still in the final year(s) of his career, Dallas is still in win-now mode as they look to put together a worthy team to compete around Dirk. Taking a chance for one year on the 27-year-old point guard would be something I would take the chance on despite his injury riddled past."
The Chicago Bulls are rumored to be in a rebuilding stage and may want to move away from the Thibodeau-era players. In a column by KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, trading Rose or Jimmy Butler should be "the Bulls' top priority."
"For myriad reasons, a smooth partnership between the two has become untenable. 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," Johnson wrote.
There were more rumors of trading Jimmy Butler because more teams are interested in him but the common impression is that Butler's assignment to the draft lottery was the confirmation that he's not the one getting the boot.
However, Rose is not an easy piece to trade. There were already rumors that the Bulls have wanted to swap Rose but could not find any takers because of his steep price tag. This coming season, Rose is now an expiring contract and the salary cap is much higher.
With 24 teams vying to sign a limited pool of talent, the Mavericks may have to gamble on Rose-that he can somehow play close to a full season because in the last few weeks of the regular season, he has proven he can contribute.
A change of scenery and Dallas could work wonders for him. It did help Deron Williams to an extent last season and Coach Rick Carlisle could implement more of a set offense where Rose can thrive.
