I Smell a Trap Game…
The Chicago Bulls have just made history by winning five or more games on the road in a single trip against opponents with plus- .500 records.
Now they come home after being on the road for something like 13 days against a Chris Kaman-less L.A. Clippers on a cold Tuesday night that will have an anxious home crowd hoping to see their newly minted star in Derrick Rose and the rest of the squad that is playing as well as it has in a few years.
Expect the crowd to be a little louder and the Clippers a little slower.
That’s why I call these trap games. Good teams come home and bully teams like this. Mediocre teams make it more interesting than it needs to be, and that’s what I suspect will happen this Tuesday.
Aside from a Tuesday February game, there are some interesting story lines at play this week and for the rest of the month of course. Should the Bulls continue to play well (and they probably will with a soft schedule in the next few weeks), several players’ trade value may be increasing—primarily Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons, Luol Deng and even that guy they call Tyrus Thomas.
Hey, if the franchise Aaron Gray is on the move, then it appears a lot of this roster is up for some turnover. John Paxson has been historically conservative and yet he pulled the trigger on the worst possible max-pay free agent that I can think of in Ben Wallace and went against his own philosophy in a high-risk/high-reward prospect in Thomas.
But this is a time as important as any for the franchise. Think about it: It took more than a decade for the Bulls to find an all-star again, and they only did that by lucking into a first-overall pick with Rose. Think about that: This organization couldn’t even net an all-star after buying one in free agency.
That would be like finally ponying up for your dream car (a lightly used Ferrari) and coming home with a lemon.
Thomas was the little known bio-tech stock that was trading in the dollar range but was being talked up for its massive upside, and tanked after years of sitting in the dollar range.
OK, enough with the metaphors.
But in these coming days, the Bulls will take a hard look at Amare Stoudemire, who has already underwent several surgeries, doesn’t play much in the fourth quarter for his mediocre team anymore, doesn’t defend or rebound much, often doesn’t take to coaching and is just not the same athlete he was several years back. He also wants a max contract at the end of the season.
Do you do it?
Chris Bosh is probably on the move. But he’s really not a low-post scorer, as he’s more of a face-up shooter with fluid movement to either side of his body. His defense is decent at best and is not the explosive athlete that Stoudemire is (or was). He’s also seeking a max contract and he’s been the best player on one of the most disappointing teams in the East for several years in a row.
What if they want Joakim Noah in a swap?
And then there’s Joe Johnson, who probably won’t be traded, and then the near untouchables in Dwayne Wade and LeBron James. Of course you do just about whatever you can to get them, but it seems unlikely that they’ll be moving at the deadline.
What’s more likely here, is that the Bulls unload several of their contracts for more expiring deals to ensure they get a max player at the end of the season. In the NBA, however, bad contracts almost always ensure bad teams.
We also have to remember that the Bulls are not the lone team in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors, the Clippers and New Jersey Nets have a lot to offer. The Cleveland Cavs are going to try and appease LeBron this deadline (Antawn Jamison, Tracy McGrady?) in any way they can considering they have as good as chance to go to the finals in the East as the Boston Celtics continue to age and the Orlando Magic fall into an abyss with Vince Carter wallowing on the perimeter.
And there’s the possibility that the Cavs tank again in the playoffs, and LeBron books.
With all that extra cap space, and Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose on staff, could the Bulls give LeBron pause? Or Dwayne Wade as his Heat falls behind the Bulls in the standings?
And if the impossible happens, couldn’t we all attribute this—strangely—to the Aaron Gray trade that netted a backup guard for depth in case Kirk Hinrich gets shipped?
Ah, one can wish that irony were as commonplace in sports as it were in movies.
Contact Mike Mitchell at michaelkennethmitchell@gmail.com.
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mmitchell
I'm a journalist who has previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in the Chicago area, covering features, entertainment, city government, police and crime, and--yes--sports. More
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Comments
Great stuff.
I was a big Stoudemire fan....4 years ago. Today I just don't see him being a big asset to the Bulls. Pass.
As for LaBron, while I agree he's the greatest player in the NBA, while I agree he might be one of the greatest athletes of all time, while I agree any team that has him will have a chance to win any game...I'm just not convinced he's a champion. He just seems to lack the killer instinct. We saw this against Orlando last year where he was hoisting 3's to try and keep his team in the mix. Not going to cut it. For all his skills, there might be a little more T-Mac in LaBron than anyone wants to admit...
That's been the rallying cry against LeBron for some time:
Is he a killer?
Kobe Bryant is just as good of player as Michael (sans defense and strength but plus shooting and ball-handling) . Believe it. But what they have in common is that incredible ego, that I-don't-give-a-shit-how-much-better-I-am-than-you-I'm-still-going-to-bury-you-regardless-of-circumstances.
It's in the very best players.
I think LeBron will be among the best that every played. But championships are the greatest currency in NBA legends (far too unfair in baseball, football and hockey) and I think we'll see LeBron rack up a couple before he's done.
What's becoming interesting, particularly this year, is whether he'll be on the Cavs if he does it. I suspect he will, but imagine the possibilities if he leaves...and Rose's celebrity becomes even more important.
I'm way more into Derrick Rose than LaBron. I think D-Rose knows he's got the skills to lead a great team all the way and wants to do it. Plus he knows he'll need a good team around him to pull it off. Now, combine the two and you've got a killer combo of course, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it takes a trade and a few years for LaBron to get his ring.
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