The NBA trade deadline is just over a month away, and Bulls fans are anxiously awaiting to see what the front office duo of Gar Forman and John Paxson do with the current roster. Will they decide to be sellers and make moves to acquire young players or draft picks to set up the next phase of a rebuild? Or, will they double down on their attempt to make the playoffs this season by adding what they deem to be a necessary piece?
You never know with those two.
But a recent report from John Gambadoro of ArizonaSports.com lists the Bulls as one of several teams interested in acquiring Phoenix Suns forward P.J. Tucker.
“According to my NBA sources, the Clippers, Bulls, Cavaliers, Timberwolves and Hawks all have interest in acquiring the lock-down physical defender who is in the last year of his contract at just $5.3 million.” – John Gambadoro
Tucker is a veteran small forward whose professional career has seen many twists and turns. The Toronto Raptors selected him with their second round pick in 2006, but was waived the following year after spending time with their D-League affiliate. Tucker then spent the next five years playing overseas, making stops in Israel, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Germany and Russia.
In 2012, he played for the Suns in Summer League and was rewarded with a two year deal. He earned another contract from Phoenix in 2014 and is currently playing the final season of that deal. At 6’6, Tucker is an elite and versatile defender who’s capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor. He’s not a huge threat offensively, but he can knock down three pointers with some consistency, especially from the corners.
Tucker & Taj
Gambadoro believes the Suns are looking for a first round pick in return for Tucker. That asking price might be too high, considering he’d likely just be a half-season loaner for a hopeful contender. With another jump in the league’s salary cap coming, even a mid-tier player like Tucker could cash a huge payday as a free agent this summer.
From the Bulls’ perspective, pursuing Tucker doesn’t make much sense. They already have a veteran forward on an expiring contract. His name is Taj Gibson, and if GarPax have any sense they’ll be selling him at the deadline. By doing so they can ideally gain a first round draft pick and free up minutes in the frontcourt for Bobby Portis, who desperately needs more time to develop. Chicago is also reportedly interested in Suns point guard Brandon Knight. The Bulls definitely need a young point guard more than a 31 year old forward, but Knight is really struggling this season. They’d be best served to sell their own assets at the deadline and sign a free agent point guard (ideally one who can shoot) this summer.
