Certain franchises do not have the luxury of strictly abiding by basketball logic or financial principles. A losing culture is so deeply embedded into their foundation that every decision requires extremely careful consideration. What might be a calculated gamble for top-flight teams could be an impetus for total disaster at an ill-equipped organization. Confusingly, the Chicago Bulls fall into this troubling category.
To be fair, they are certainly not the leaders of this coterie of ineptitude. In fact, one can even argue that the Bulls are more well-suited for the land of mediocrity. They have at least made big moves that should have theoretically equated to more success. Terrible injury luck has severely hampered any grand plans they initially made.
But this team is not on a favorable trajectory, regardless. The front office is lacking adaptability and a big-picture mindset, which has left Chicago financially-strapped and woefully behind its toughest competition. Fans know that the 2023-24 NBA season is likely to be another unpleasant one, but no one was prepared for the horrific optics that flooded into the United Center Wednesday night.
Following a 124-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opener, a players-only meeting was called in the locker room. The word “yikes' doesn't even do that bombshell justice. When there are this many bad omens, it is difficult to fathom anything but an ugly end for this team. The last thing it needs is more controversy.
With James Harden emerging as a potential trade candidate, we are going to explain why the future Hall of Fame guard would be an ill-advised investment for the Bulls.
Potential James Harden drama is just too much
Normally, adding a player with an expiring contract who led the NBA in assists per game last season while still being a quality scorer would be a no-brainer. Especially for a squad looking for direction. We all know the upside in targeting the 10-time All-Star, but we also cannot deny the sharp downside to entering such a risky union.
Although Harden has requested a trade from the last three franchises he played for, I actually do believe there is a place where he can be content for the final stage of his career. But it's not Chicago. A low-cost move is not worth it for general manager Marc Eversley, as there could still be damaging consequences.
If instability is rampant in an organization, you naturally bring in a stabilizing presence or two. More volatility seems like a great idea if owner Jerry Reinsdorf is interested in getting into reality television (might not be a stretch given the Chicago White Sox), but it is an impractical one if his end goal is a functional basketball product.
That does not solely include on-court production. If it did, then Chicago has a good chance of moving up the Eastern Conference standings with James Harden in the backcourt. Despite commanding a high usage rate, he can helm an effective offensive attack. Unfortunately, all of The Beard's attributes might be buried behind the overwhelming amount of baggage that he carries these days.
Bulls have enough issues already
The Bulls have to get their house in order before welcoming in a new, unpredictable guest. Holding a meeting after the first game of the season suggests that there is a ways to go before that essential objective is met.
Moreover, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine have already been linked to trade rumors for months on end. Swapping the former's expiring contract with Harden is a possible scenario, but it would not evaporate the fog that presently engulfs this team. Only more questions would arise.
Harden recently called his boss a liar. Truthfully, everything is not all back and white. There is plenty of blame to go around on all sides. The fact of the matter is, though, that the Bulls cannot even risk stepping into a grey area. The current roster contains unknowns and incompatibilities. The United Center cannot store any more.
The accolades, experience, craftiness and skill are all tempting. Arguing the contrary is just foolish. But Eversley and the Chicago brass must resist the urge to find a quick fix. Even an ostensibly favorable contract situation is not worth potential migraines or excessive media attention.
The Bulls have a steep climb ahead if they are going to stay afloat in a challenging conference. Sadly, the best thing fans can probably hope for is that former top-10 draft picks Coby White and Patrick Williams move forward in their development, LaVine increases his trade value and the Bulls keep a low profile.
That is the dilemma for a squad far away from contention but not yet in rebuild mode.
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