Chicago Bulls: Three trades to consider before the trade deadline
By Ryan Taylor
Andre Drummond would provide plenty of depth to the Chicago Bulls.
Wait, trade? For Andre Drummond? No way. Nuh-uh. Drummond’s contract is way too much and he’s not as good as he once was.
Bulls fans, hear me out on this one. Drummond is still a valuable player that teams will want, and the Bulls could save the Cleveland Cavaliers from having to buy him out and get nothing in return.
How much can Bulls fans not stand Otto Porter Jr’s 28 million dollar contract? I’ll tell you how much. He’s played just 24 of 42 games this season averaging 10 points, 5.5 rebounds, and two assists per game. He can still shoot the three-ball though, shooting 40.9 percent from downtown. The Cavaliers should want to take him to get anything back in return for Drummond.
Gafford is a young, explosive big man that could serve as a great backup for the Cavaliers. A little extra for the Cavs, Gafford is an excellent rebounder and excellent at setting screens. His minutes have been decreasing at the position with Thaddeus Young and Wendell Carter Jr. hogging the playing time but he would be useful for the Cavs behind Jarrett Allen.
Drummond can do a lot of things the Bulls can’t. First a foremost, defending the paint. The Bulls have allowed the 26th most points in the paint this season. Drummond averages a career-positive defensive box and one of the league’s best defensive ratings at 104 points. He also averages 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks per game this season.
The 27-year old big man is also an outstanding rebounder. With the inefficiencies that big men Markkanen and Young have from defensive rebounding, Drummond could help a lot with this area. He has led the league in rebounding four times in his career, averaging a career average of 13.8 rebounds per game.
light. Related Story. Could Lauri Markkanen be traded?
Do you remember the last trade that Drummond was involved in? He was traded to the Cavaliers for Brandon Knight, John Henson, and a second-round pick which is a lot worse than this offer. The Bulls could steal Drummond from the trade market and hope to sign him to a longer, cheaper deal.