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| Did bad advice or corporate interests prevent the DRoseMVP and DH12 Team-Up that everyone outside of Miami wanted to see? |
Despite trade speculation since the season tipped-off, Dwight Howard opted to stay in Orlando until the end of the 2012-2013 season (which should only continue to fuel speculation where he may go for yet another season). Initially, Howard had requested that the Orlando Magic allow his representatives to talk to a short list of teams about trade possibilities; Dallas, New Jersey, and Los Angeles comprised the only teams that Howard claimed he would be willing to sign with long-term.
Chicago was one team that was conspicuously absent from Howard's list; with their depth of talent, the Bulls could put together a better package in trade for Howard while still retaining enough talent surrounding Howard and reigning MVP, Derrick Rose, to contend for an NBA Championship right now.
Eventually, it seemed as if Orlando had come around to this fact, even reportedly settling on a tentative deal that only required Howard to agree to signing a contract extension with the Bulls, however it soon emerged that the snag in the deal was that Howard's shoe sponsor, Adidas, which also sponsors Derrick Rose, did not want their two biggest stars in the same market. And so it seems that the future of basketball will once again be determined by corporate interests rather than the players on the floor... however, if Howard's people were more creative thinkers, you would have to wonder if Howard could join Chicago to win championships and get paid by another shoe company interested in competing in a huge market like Chicago.
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| Pau Gasol has been on the trading block since the failed trade with the NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets for CP3, but in the end, Gasol remains a Laker. |
Meanwhile, the Bulls explored other options as the deadline, as well as, the Bulls' March 14th match-up with the Miami Heat, quickly approached. Following a failed trade that would have sent Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom and brought back Chris Paul, Gasol has been aware of his position on the trading block. The Bulls have long had interest in the Lakers' Power forward, but once again a trade deadline deal could not be swung.
On the eve of trade deadline day, the Bulls faced off with their Eastern Conference rivals, the Miami Heat, and despite 36 points from Dwayne Wade and 35 points from Dwayne Wade sidekick, Lebron James, the Bulls, without Derrick Rose, emerged victorious because of a total team effort. It reminded us that the Bulls are a team built on chemistry and a team that plays for each other. The easy win over current Eastern Conference runners-up, Miami, despite injuries to several top Bulls' rotation players, indicates that our talent is on par and deeper than our next closest rival.
So, without any major moves, the Chicago Bulls will roll with the core that fought the Heat in four very close Eastern Conference Finals games and one dominant blowout at the United Center, except, this season, the team chemistry is even better, the knowledge of Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau's system is better, and the talent additions have been perfect. And this is the group that deserves their shot at the NBA Championship, together.
