By Sean Mackey
I know it's been like 20 days since I wrote last but Chicago Bulls basketball has been super quiet. There's been absolutely nothing to write about. This dead period of Aug-Sept is usually a depressing time for NBA fans. Trades are done. Free Agents have signed. Teams are pretty much set. Yeah, the Bulls went ahead and signed Keith Bogans to a 2 year partial guaranteed deal but is that news? The guy can defend and hit the three on occasion but I'm not that excited and I doubt anyone else is either.
However, the only glimmer of semi-exciting news is that the Bulls are still in play to snatch Spanish guard, Rudy Fernandez from the Portland Trail Blazers. Over the years, Portland has overvalued their talent and have asked for an arm and a leg, draft picks and ridiculously better players in return for Rudy. With Portland's old GM out, Portland may want to go ahead and take a deal from the Bulls rather than see Fernandez disrupt team chemistry by being buried on the bench and demanding a trade or watching him bolt for Europe as soon as the season is over. The Bulls were in a similar boat last year with Tyrus Thomas and ultimately decided to trade him for a draft pick. Thomas would have left the team the following season and the Bulls would have got nothing in return.
Rudy didn't have very many suitors besides NY and Boston and they were both unwilling to give up a draft pick in return for the Spanish guard. It's rumored the Blazers really want Taj Gibson but why? They already have Oden, Aldridge and Camby & Jeff Pendergraph. Yeah, Gibson is a step up from Pendergraph but he'll end up getting reduced playing time and probably be unhappy. The Bulls also don't want to give him up after nearly averaging a double-double. He could very well be the best back up power forward in the east this year and with Boozer's shaky injury past, it's a good idea to hold on to him.
James Johnson and a first round pick "should" be enough. The Bulls can afford to ditch their pick this year anyway with a team that's poised to make the 2nd round of the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Portland....stop overvaluing your talent and hook us up. We'll appreciate Rudy Fernandez far more than you ever will. We've been wanting an obnoxious foreign guy to fill the gap since Andres Nocioni left.
