Recent rumors have emerged that the Chicago Bulls are willing to exchange Nikola Mirotic, Bobby Portis, and rookie Denzel Valentine for the Brooklyn Nets' All-Star center Brook Lopez as the team is in need of frontcourt reinforcement entering the new season.
The Bulls have finally seen their new backcourt duo of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo together on the floor in a 93-91 preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. The experienced combination showed a lot of promise even though the two NBA champions played only limited minutes during the game.
However, the glaring weakness for Chicago right now was their lack of frontcourt depth as former bench player Taj Gibson has now become the team's starting power forward with newly-acquired Robin Lopez starting at center.
The team is still adjusting with the exits of their two best frontline players in Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah during the summer and head coach Fred Hoiberg seemed to be feeling the absence of the two veterans.
With that, speculations went out recently that the Bulls could be targeting Brooklyn Nets big man Brook Lopez, Robin's twin brother, to shore up the frontcourt in the upcoming season.
Sportsrageous indicated that Chicago is "still looking for another reliable big-man who can be of big help when it comes to defense, as well as offense" and Brook is said to be the man in the club's crosshairs.
The report suggested a trade scenario sending power forward Mirotic, young center Portis, and this year's 14th overall pick Valentine to the Nets in exchange for the one-time NBA All-Star and 2009 All-Rookie First Teamer.
The Nets are reportedly looking to rebuild but they have no significant draft picks in the foreseeable future and so the trade market is their only way to get out of their current doldrums. At this time, Lopez is their most valuable trade chip and dealing him to the Bulls for the three young talents is definitely more advantageous to them than for Chicago.
Inquisitr noted that Mirotic, Portis, and Valentine may still not be enough for the Bulls to get the agreement of the Nets as a future draft pick may have to be added to spice up the deal.
Acquiring Brook, which will unite the Lopez twins, will put stability in Chicago's frontcourt but it would make them an older squad. With Wade, Rondo, and Jimmy Butler as the other three starters, the Bulls will look quite formidable on paper.
