The impact of Carlos Boozer to the Bulls
After the New York Knicks landed Amare Stoudemire and after Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami, another free agent superstar joins the frenzy by verbally agreeing to an offer by the Chicago Bulls. And no, it is not LeBron James. At least, not yet.
Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer has reportedly agreed to suit up for the Chicago Bulls, in a deal that is worth approximately $75 million. Interestingly enough, the offer made by the Bulls still leaves enough cap room for one max salary deal, which means they could still land another marquee player.
With a roster of Derrick Rose at point, Joakim Noah at center, and forwards Loul Deng and Boozer, it seems that the only gaping hole in the Bulls’ lineup is in the other guard position—a void that could very well be filled by James. However, should James decide to either stay in Cleveland or join his buddies in Miami, the Bulls still have the opportunity to pick up a quality shooting guard in Mike Miller or Boozer’s Utah teammate Kyle Korver.
Boozer’s addition to the Bulls’ frontcourt provides another offensive option that immensely complements Noah’s solid defense. Boozer also has a competent point guard in Rose, although he might have to adjust to Rose’s shoot-first mentality. Unlike Boozer’s pick-and-roll partner in Utah Deron Williams, Rose is more of a scoring threat. But with the two-time All Star forward on the court, the Bulls could stretch their offense to give Rose the space to attack the rim.
Prior to the agreement between Boozer and the Bulls, there were talks of a three-way trade that involved the Portland Trail Blazers, the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls. According to some NBA front-office sources, the trade was to be headlined by Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich.
Another team that was reported to have an interest in Boozer is the Detroit Pistons. Boozer would have also been a great fit in the Pistons’ revamped lineup that does not have a low-post threat.
While Boozer’s 2009 season averages of 19 points and 11 rebounds are strong, his future in Utah has always been in jeopardy because of nagging injuries. In his six seasons with Utah, three were plagued by injuries, thus limiting Boozer’s play. His injuries also opened the door for Paul Millsap to emerge as a dependable power forward. When all was said and done, it seems that the Jazz are more inclined to keepi Millsap, even if it meant letting go of their prized All Star forward.
Millsap has been such a vital part of the Jazz, stirring other teams to take notice. The Portland Trail Blazers has expressed its interest in acquiring the 25-year old free agent, but did not divulge information on how soon it will extend an offer sheet.
As for the Chicago Bulls, picking up Boozer is a good move, regardless if it was intended as a bargaining chip to lure James or not. James and Boozer, after all, had a not-so pleasant time when they were teammates in Cleveland. Boozer jumped ship after just two seasons with the Cavaliers, which reports claimed did not sit well with The King. The Cavaliers thought that the six-year, $41 million deal that was agreed upon would be honored by Boozer. However, Boozer completely went the opposite direction and ended up accepting a six-year, $68 million dollar contract from the Utah Jazz, thus ending the short-lived double act of Boozer and James.
If James does jump the gun and join the Bulls, it will be interesting to see if the two can co-exist for the sake of a championship. At any rate, the addition of the eight-year veteran Boozer to a young and hungry Bulls team could spell trouble for the Eastern Conference teams. But of course, having a LeBron James in your lineup would help more.
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