Derrick Rose hasn’t suited up for the Bulls since 2016 and, since then, the Bulls haven’t seen much success.
Finishing near the bottom of the East for the past few years, Chicago desperately needs change if they want to turn things around. It might seem like a long shot, but could Rose be on his way back to the franchise he called home for 7 years?
In a report by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, he proposed a deal that could send Rose and star big man Blake Griffin to the Bulls.
The Trade: Thaddeus Young and Otto Porter Jr. for Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin
This deal would undoubtedly be a gamble on the part of the Chicago Bulls.
In 2018-19, Griffin had perhaps the best offensive season of his career. But he managed just 512 minutes in 2019-20, and he has a fairly robust injury history and a $39 million player option in 2021-22. If he can’t come back to around 85-90 percent of the player he was before his latest health-related setback, having his deal on the books is a killer.
And the shooting ability of both would open up slashing lanes for Rose, whose offensive production in 2019-20 wasn’t far off what he did as the 2010-11 MVP.
This deal, of course, has the added sentimental bonus of sending Rose back to his hometown, where he first entered the league as the No. 1 pick of the 2008 draft.
For the Pistons, the acquisition of Thaddeus Young and Otto Porter Jr. would help continue their trend towards a complete rebuild.
For Detroit, this is almost entirely about continuing the teardown it triggered by trading Andre Drummond for John Henson and Brandon Knight. The Pistons wouldn’t get off scot-free here thanks to the $14.2 million owed to Young in 2021-22, but that guarantee is nearly $25 million less than Griffin’s.
Porter, meanwhile, will be on an expiring contract (assuming he picks up his option) in 2020-21. That means significantly more cap flexibility for Detroit in the summer of 2021.
The Bulls would be taking a huge risk by trusting in the health and durability of Rose and Griffin. The two have a history riddled with struggles and injuries.
Either way, it’s a deal that works towards the goals of both teams and gives each a chance to start fresh. Following the trade of Andre Drummond, the Pistons might need a fresh start more than anyone.
It will be interesting to see how things develop in the weeks and months to come.
