The Chicago Bulls may consider a Taj Gibson trade at the deadline this season and tames like the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns could be interested in making a move for the forward, as they have dealt with injury issues and could use him to make playoff pushes in the second half.
UPDATE: Taj Gibson was not traded at the deadline and now Kendrick Perkins is a target for the Bulls. Perkins is working on a buyout after he was traded to the Jazz and now reports have him as an option for the Bulls, Cavaliers and Clippers.
The Chicago Bulls considered a trade with Taj Gibson at the deadline this season and after teams like the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns did not pull off a deal, the team is now working to sign Kendrick Perkins to a deal, as he is a target after a buyout from the Jazz and his trade from the Thunder.
The Bulls may look at names like Lance Stephenson, Gerald Green, Joe Johnson or Wilson Chandler at the deadline, but it's likely they stand pat. According to Pro Basketball Talk, Gibson is getting trade interest at the deadline and there is a chance that the Bulls could pull off a deal. The Rockets, Clippers, Raptors and Blazers have all been mentioned as potential targets, while the Miami Heat also could be in the mix. Gibson has been mentioned in trade rumors since last year and could be moved at the deadline.
The Bulls signed Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic in the offseason and they have pushed Gibson down in the rotation a bit. Gibson has some injury issues, but he appears to have gotten over that in recent weeks despite dealing with an ankle injury and he could be a nice piece for a championship contender. The Bulls likely would rather keep Gibson, but there is a chance they could look at adding some depth at other positions. The team is ranked third in rebounding and that is not as much of an area of concern.
The team has been dealing with injuries to Mike Dunleavy and Doug McDermott and that could make players like Stephenson and Green options. The team may want some more support on the wing and they could trade from an area of strength to do that. The Bulls have Gibson playing about 29 minutes per game this season and he has been averaging 10 points and six rebounds. Gibson is signed through 2017 and that could make a deal tougher to pull off.
The Rockets have been playing without Dwight Howard and he could be out for another month and that could spark the team to make a deal. The Clippers have been dealing with injuries and they have lost Blake Griffin for a bit and also could be a target. The Nuggets have been active in talks, while the Raptors have been an under the radar team to watch. The Raptors have been one of the quieter teams heading into the deadline and they could make a surprise move.
Chris Sheridan wrote that he thought Gibson could be a target for the Raptors, as the team is looking to add more up front. The Bulls come into the deadline without many needs and they feel they have a good chance to make a run to the finals. The team may end up keeping Gibson and if they do he could be a candidate to get traded after the season.
