Barring a shocking turn of events, LeBron James will be back in the Eastern Conference. More specifically, he'll be right back in the Central Division, meaning the Chicago Bulls will see plenty of him.
Years ago, having LeBron James in Cleveland would've been a headache. The Bulls were always a thorn in his side, with Derrick Rose neatly taking his crown in his MVP season, but we all know how that ended.
This time, however, the Bulls might actually embrace him with open arms (Sorry, Joakim Noah). James' arrival will inevitably force the Cavaliers to move on from some players, and the Bulls might be just the right trade partner.
The Chicago Bulls could help the Cleveland Cavaliers bring back LeBron James
Most reports imply that James won't be alone in his return to Cleveland. Kevin Love and Bronny James are rumored to be his plus-ones on his homecoming, and with only so many roster spots available, the Cavaliers will have to cut ties with someone to accommodate James and his friends.
That leaves Dennis Schroder, Max Strus, and Sam Merrill as the most likely odd men out in Northeast Ohio. Notably, the Bulls have every reason to want to acquire each and all of them, especially if they can get draft capital in return.
Merrill and Strus would help the Bulls with their spacing and shooting woes. More than that, they would both be valuable trade pieces as proven 3-and-D role players to flip at the deadline, especially Strus.
As for Schroder, he looked out of place in his brief time in Cleveland, but he still has a reputation as one of the league's premier Sixth Men and backup point guards. As such, someone will most definitely be tempted to trade for him.
The Bulls could also part ways with Tre Jones to give Cleveland the backup point guard they need. They could probably land a first-round pick by absorbing one of their big contracts and giving up Jones.
Bryson Graham and the Bulls have to play chess when everybody else is playing checkers. It will be a while before this team is competitive again, and they've openly preached patience and talked about their willingness to take on big contracts to add more draft capital.
So, with James shaking the Eastern Conference up again with his return, there will be countless opportunities for the Bulls to capitalize on this. For the first time in more than two decades, James might actually help the Bulls win something.
| More Bulls News and Rumors |
Add us as a preferred source on Google