Would Acquiring DeMarcus Cousins Make the Chicago Bulls an Eastern Conference "SuperTeam"?

No doubt!

But are the Chicago Bulls actually working on making it happen? Possibly yes.

The Chicago Bulls are in discussions with the Sacramento Kings about potentially acquiring another unhappy NBA veteran, small forward Rudy Gay, in a three-team deal that would include the Phoenix Suns.

In the potential deal, the Chicago Bulls would have to send Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to the Phoenix Suns.

The Phoenix Suns would send Brandon Knight to Sacramento.

And the Sacramento Kings would send Rudy Gay to the Chicago Bulls.

The Phoenix Suns have a glut at the guard spots with Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker, Leandro Barbosa, Ronnie Price, and 2016 draft pick Tyler Ulis, in addition to Brandon Knight, on the roster.

Despite having a career season statistically, Brandon Knight is making $12.6M this season, and it seems like the Suns want more playing time for Devin Booker, who showed a lot in his rookie season. The Suns also lack quality front court depth, so getting Taj Gibson, a quality starter at the power forward on a reasonable salary, would be worth giving up Knight for.

Rudy Gay has been asking to be traded out of Sacramento for months, and the Chicago Bulls, who are gearing up for a run at the championship, would want a player of Gay's caliber, even if it is on the declining side of his atheleticism for two seasons at $13.3M. Because of that, the Bulls might be willing to "pay" the most in trade for Gay.

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But you're not reading this article to find out if the Chicago Bulls can add Rudy Gay to the roster.

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There is no question that not only is Rudy Gay fed up with the dysfunction going on Sacramento, but so is DeMarcus Cousins.

The big man who is currently representing America on Team USA on their way to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, has avoided the press, possibly due to the issue of what he might inadvertently say about the situation in Sacramento.

To add to the dysfunction, the Sacramento Kings essentially drafted two centers in the 2016 NBA Draft, Georgios Papagiannis and Skal Labissiere, after adding center Willie Cauley-Stein in the 2015 NBA Draft.

As of yet, Cousins has not demanded a trade, however during the off-season, his point guard, Rajon Rondo, was allowed to leave in free agency. Rondo lead the NBA in assists per game and helped Cousins average 26.9 PPG last season (4th in the NBA). Cousins really enjoyed playing with Rondo, to say the least.

Now that Rondo has been signed by the Chicago Bulls, could there be something to the rumors of a Rondo-Cousins reunion in Chicago?

The asking price for DeMarcus Cousins will be a high one, with many teams willing to gladly pay it.

But it is standard for players of Cousins' caliber to have a No Trade clause in their contract, in order to have control over where and when they choose to leave their current team.

Just as Carmelo Anthony demanded a trade to New York and only the Knicks, Cousins will be able to decide where and when he leaves Sacramento. However, Cousins will not have maximum leverage to force his way to Chicago until next season (2017-18), which will be the final season of his current contract.

But if Rajon Rondo can convince the big man to join Chicago, then DeMarcus Cousins will be on his way to Chicago.

What do you think of the Chicago Bulls potentially adding DeMarcus Cousins to this talented team either this season or next? Would the Chicago Bulls be a lock to win the NBA Championship if they add DeMarcus Cousins? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Chicago Bulls Pursuing Deal For 76ers' Jahlil Okafor

During an active off-season, the Chicago Bulls and the Philadelphia 76ers have been among two of the busiest.

Each team has been working very hard to reshape the very identities of their teams.

Following the introduction of the Chicago Bulls' first round draft pick Denzel Valentine, Chicago Bulls GM Gar Forman told the press that the Chicago Bulls would be actively looking to get "younger and more athletic".

The Chicago Bulls have been aggressively inquiring about a number of players including Philadelphia 76ers Jahlil Okafor.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers, following the drafting of 2016 #1 Overall Pick Ben Simmons, have been adding veterans in order to fill out what they envision as a playoff ready roster around Simmons.

So, it was pretty easy to predict that several early off-season trade rumors suggested that the Chicago Bulls, a team flush with playoff-tested veterans, and the young Philadelphia 76ers were close to a deal.

One such rumor had the Chicago Bulls sending Derrick Rose to the 76ers for Nerlens Noel, but now that Rose has already been shipped off to the New York Knicks, the trade rumor that has taken hold has centered around Jahlil Okafor.

The Chicago Bulls, who have been actively pursuing trades, including a potential deal for Russell Westbrook, are reportedly offering Doug McDermott and 2016 First Round Pick Denzel Valentine in exchange for Jahlil Okafor.

The move would not be without risk. The 2015 #3 Overall Pick, Okafor, has had a rookie campaign marred by legal trouble. The talented first year player spent much of his rookie season in trouble with the law nearly as often as making his mark on the court.

In early October of last year, Okafor was involved in an "argument" outside of a Philadelphia nightclub involving a brandished gun.

Then on October 19th of last year, there was an incident on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge where the 6' 11" rookie forward was allegedly going 108 mph.

Then on November 26th, he was captured on video involved in an altercation outside a Boston nightclub although it is unclear whether he was the assailant. Predictably, the video was posted online.

Following the series of incidents, Jahlil Okafor made a very public apology in an effort to rehab his damaged image, in which he promised to maintain his focus on basketball.

Okafor finished his rookie season with impressive numbers (although for a historically bad 76ers team): 17.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.2 APG, and 1.2 BPG.

Okafor is a Chicago-native who was the top high school recruit in the nation his senior year in high school, who eventually decided to attend Duke University. In his single one-and-done year, he helped lead Duke to the NCAA Championship.

A return home to Chicago might greatly beneficial to Okafor, who built and maintained habits which lead to his most successful years.

In addition, with several strong veteran personalities (Butler, Wade, Rondo, etc.), Okafor may just end up in a situation that could help reduce off-court issues and help his game to flourish.

Would you like to see the Chicago Bulls make a deal with the 76ers to acquire Jahlil Okafor? Would you do this trade? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

CHICAGO BULLS OFF-SEASON REPORT: The Chicago Bulls Can Make An Impressive Deal For Russell Westbrook

With Kevin Durant's decision in the rear view mirror, the Oklahoma City Thunder must now deal with another big free agent departure.

After trying to lock up Russell Westbrook long term following the departure of Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder got their second difficult bit of news this week.

With Russell Westbrook in the final year of his contract and declining to sign an extension at this time, OKC must plan to trade him some time this season or risk losing Westbrook for nothing next summer. 

Russell Westbrook has declined signing an extension with OKC, likely signalling that when his current contract expires after this upcoming season, that he will test the waters of free agency and probably depart the Thunder.

This news will necessitate the Oklahoma City Thunder planning their first rebuilding process since the team moved from Seattle to their present day home in Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will begin that rebuilding process by putting their elite point guard on the trading block, as of right now.

Would the Chicago Bulls be interested in trading for a Top 5 Player in the NBA in Russell Westbrook?

Of course!

The Chicago Bulls are among six teams that are reportedly interested in dealing for Westbrook. The Chicago Bulls will have to outbid the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Orlando Magic.

And it also makes some sense for the Chicago Bulls, who are still built to win right now.

And although the Chicago Bulls will be losing both Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah to free agency, they got back a solid starter in Robin Lopez (via the Derrick Rose trade), and they still have Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, and Nikola Mirotic up front.

Having not dealt Jimmy Butler yet, the Chicago Bulls should be able to plug Russell Westbrook right into Derrick Rose's role on the team.

The Chicago Bulls would return to being in the mix among the best teams in the Eastern Conference, except they would have a player that is at this point, more athletic, a better shooter, and a more explosive scorer than Derrick Rose is now.

For the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder, they would be looking for some young starters and draft picks in exchange for their All-Star. Bobby Portis, Doug McDermott, Jerian Grant, and draft picks would probably have to be included as part of a potential deal.

This would leave the Chicago Bulls with a solid starting line-up:

• PG    Westbrook
• SG    Butler
• SF    Mirotic
• PF    Gibson
• C     Lopez

And while the bench would be stripped bare, the additional cap space under this collective bargaining agreement would allow for the Chicago Bulls to add several veteran role players to help fill out the roster this season.

And with the quirky way the salary cap will jump again next summer, the Chicago Bulls would be able to add a max contract player to this already solid starting line-up that would be able to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the East.

What do you think it will take to acquire Russell Westbrook? Ultimately, where do you think Russell Westbrook wants to go in a trade/ free agency? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

CHICAGO BULLS OFF-SEASON REPORT: Chicago Bulls Draft MSU's Valentine at #14, Zipser at #48

After the announcement two nights ago that Derrick Rose had been traded to the New York Knicks, this Draft Night was looking as if there might be another trade looming that would plunge the Chicago Bulls headlong into a full on rebuilding process.

However, the trade that we were hearing might come has yet to manifest. But it appears to be an eventuality.

It appears even more certain after Minnesota were the fortunate recipients of Providence point guard Kris Dunn falling to the #5 Pick. Dunn was the player the Chicago Bulls were coveting with the #5 Pick had a deal been made for Jimmy Butler.

No, there was no Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves trade announced at the 2016 NBA Draft last night, but many seem convinced that Tom Thibodeau will get his man.

So, in lieu of the Chicago Bulls making a deal, the Bulls drafted Michigan State guard/ forward Denzel Valentine with the 14th Overall Pick.

The Chicago Bulls made MSU's Denzel Valentine their First Round Draft Pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Valentine had an outstanding 2015-16 season, averaging 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, and leading the Michigan State Spartans to the Big Ten Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

While Valentine, measuring 6' 5.5", lacks elite athleticism, he excels in multiple other facets of his game as shown by his excellent rebounding rate for a back court player and his ability to not only score the ball but to find his teammates.

An excellent word to describe his game is unselfish.

This, combined with his coming out of a solid college program like MSU as a highly decorated senior, make him an almost prototypical Gar Forman and John Paxson draft pick.

It will be interesting to see how Denzel Valentine's game works alongside players like Doug McDermott, another highly decorated four-year college player, as they both develop their game at the next level.

In the second round (Pick #48 Overall), the Chicago Bulls selected Paul Zipser, a 6' 7" small forward from Germany, to complete their draft.

What do you think of the Chicago Bulls 2016 NBA Draft class? What are your thoughts about Denzel Valentine, the Chicago Bulls' first round selection? Please let us know in the comments below!

Chicago Bulls Tip-Off 2015-16 NBA Season Tonight Against Old Foes Lebron and the Cavaliers

CHICAGO, IL.  The Chicago Bulls open the new 2015-16 NBA regular season at the United Center tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers (7 PM CT, TNT).

Jimmy Butler re-signed with the Chicago Bulls during the off-season after leading the team with 20.0 PPG and 1.8 SPG last season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, announced as the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, will pose a considerable first challenge for Chicago Bulls Basketball as they begin the Fred Hoiberg-Era.

Aside from the head coaching change, the Chicago Bulls go into the 2015-16 NBA season with essentially the same roster as last season's 4th seeded team in the Eastern Conference.

However, the Chicago Bulls will be short-handed tonight with their usual starting small forward, Mike Dunleavy Jr. out due to back issues. Tony Snell has been getting the start, but second year man, Doug McDermott, has also been logging significant minutes, as well, including the final seconds of the final preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks. McDermott had the ball in his hands during the final seconds, and he hit the game-winning shot.

Another line-up change for this season has Nikola Mirotic, the runner-up for NBA Rookie-of-the-Year last season, moving into the starting power forward spot, with Pau Gasol moving over to the center spot. The shift allows Hoiberg to play his best offensive team to start games and provides the option of bringing in the defensive-minded Joakim Noah off the bench in bursts to lock down the other team's best front court player.

Derrick Rose looked good vs the Dallas Mavericks, despite the left orbital fracture, facemask, and possible blurred vision.

Derrick Rose, after sustaining a left orbital fracture during practice, will play in tonight's season opener, although he has stated that he is still experiencing blurred vision related to the injury.

The Cleveland Cavaliers likewise made very few changes to their line-up from the NBA Playoffs. However, the Cavs' roster evolved last season to address all its flaws, yielding an impressive collection of role players around Cleveland's big 3 of Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love.

The Cavs will provide a challenge and a great measuring stick for a rethought Chicago Bulls Basketball team that will need to evolve over the course of this season if it hopes to challenge the reigning Eastern Conference champs for the right to play in the NBA Finals next June.

Who will win tonight's Cavs vs. Bulls match-up? Who will win the Eastern Conference this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Chicago Bulls Pre-Season: Bulls Provide A Glimpse In Comeback Win Over Nuggets

CHICAGO, IL.  These are not last season's Chicago Bulls. One word that best describes this team and distiguishes it from last season's Bulls team is: EXPLOSIVE.

After a slow start that saw the Chicago Bulls go down by 21 points (50-29) with 5:27 left in the 2nd quarter, the Bulls, behind their usual stout defense, forcing turnovers, and their new 3-point prowess, tied the game heading into halftime.

Chicago's New Blood is making a huge impact on the Bulls' success so far this season. 

The best sequence of the game helped to spark the Bulls' comeback, and it gives us a glimpse of what is in store for Chicago Bulls fans this season from this edition of their beloved team.

Immediately after going down by 21, the Bulls had an answer, with Doug McDermott hitting a wing three off an offensive rebound and feed from Pau Gasol.

Then Jimmy Butler intercepts a pass and turns it into two points with a layup on the other end.

Then on the next possession, Gasol gets the block on the Nuggets' Timofey Mozgov, and off the push, Jimmy Butler finds Doug McDermott who hits another trey. In less than a minute, the Bulls nearly cut the 21 point deficit in half.

These are not last seasons' Chicago Bulls.

While the Chicago Bulls' core will bring the same defense and hustle, the additions of Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic, and Doug McDermott give this team the offensive dimension that will make opposing teams pay for their lack of a lockdown defense.

And you have to believe that seeing that 21 point lead evaporate as quickly as it did was also very demoralizing to the Denver Nuggets, or any other team that might experience it this season.

As a Chicago Bulls fan, it will be incredibly satisfying to see the offense impact games almost as often as the defense will this season.

Hey, BullsNation! Did you catch the Nuggets game? What were your impressions of the game and of the Chicago Bulls' explosive comeback in the first half? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

2014 NBA Season Preview: Chicago Bulls Open the Pre-Season Against Wizards

After an eventful summer that started when they were unceremoniously ousted in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs by the Washington Wizards, the Chicago Bulls will have a chance at some symbolic redemption as they meet the Wizards in their first preseason contest on Monday, October 6th.

Here is the 2014 Chicago Bulls pre-season schedule:

The Wizards may have inadvertently had one of the biggest influences on the front office's personnel strategy this summer. Washington claimed to have been targeting the Chicago Bulls as a First Round Playoff match-up because while the Chicago Bulls boasted a top notch defense, the Bulls' anemic offense was a weakness that the high powered Wizards hoped to and succeeded in exploiting.

With the personnel moves made by Gar Forman and John Paxson during the off-season, the Chicago Bulls should not have many offensive problems this season.

The Chicago Bulls' biggest off-season moves begin with the free agent signing of Pau Gasol. The 2-time NBA Champion was looking for a situation in which he could play for another NBA Championship, and when Carmelo Anthony returned to the New York Knicks, the Chicago Bulls had a potentially better option in signing Pau.

With Gasol on board, the Chicago Bulls were able to keep Taj Gibson and also finally amnesty Carlos Boozer, a move that seemed to be in the works for several seasons.

In addition, with Pau coming on board for at a bargain, the Chicago Bulls were able to finally bring over heralded rookie and former Spanish League and Spanish Cup MVP, Nikola Mirotic. The stretch 4 with three-point range, Mirotic adds another efficient scorer that can distort opposing defenses.

Chicago Bulls rookie, Nikola Mirotic.

Another big move involved sending their two 2014 First Round Draft Picks to Denver for the #11 Overall Pick in the draft, Doug McDermott. The consensus college player of the year and the scoring leader had his doubters before the draft, but after he lit up the NBA Summer League (18 PPG, 4 RPG, 2.8 APG on 44% shooting from 3), earning All-Summer League First Team honors along with fellow Chicago Bull Tony Snell, the doubters have been silenced.

Optimism is high in Chicago as the Bulls field possibly the most talented team that former NBA MVP point guard Derrick Rose has been a part of.

The off-season additions of Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic, Doug McDermott, and free agent point guard Aaron Brooks were made with an eye towards addressing the Chicago Bulls offensive and spacing concerns, and along with the return of Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls are considered the "quiet" favorite in the Eastern Conference.

That is mostly because most of the noise in the Eastern Conference is accompanying the repatriation of Lebron James back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who also added Kevin Love and signed Kyrie Irving to a multi-year extention.

However, with the management and coaching stability in place in Chicago, the Bulls stand to have an advantage over Cleveland right out of the gate, not only with a system in place, but also with Derrick Rose already having played several weeks worth of competitive basketball having participated in the FIBA World Cup Championships.

The road to the NBA Finals, and to realizing the dream of an NBA Championship, begins with the Chicago Bulls' pre-season opener on Monday, October 6th and with the regular season opener at Madison Square Garden vs. the New York Knicks on October 29th.

Hey, BullsNation! How hyped are you for the Chicago Bulls and the NBA season to begin? Let us know in the comments below!

#BullsNation Votes #CHIvsCLE Match-Up #9: @drose vs. Kyrie Irving!

NOTE: #CHIvsCLE Match-ups are based on team role and not necessarily position.

If things play out in reality as they do on paper, the Eastern Conference will be a two horse race between the Cleveland Cavaliers and YOUR Chicago Bulls.

This was a truly eventful summer that was filled with fantasies of a Chicago starting five that would have been the best since the Michael Jordan Era. However, when the Bulls were forced to go with Plan B, they went with Plan BIG, as in bringing in two-time NBA Champion Pau Gasol and former Spanish League MVP Nikola Mirotic, as well as, NCAA Scoring Champ and the Consensus College Player of the Year Doug McDermott. If it is possible, the Chicago Bulls may find that in June, they were better off missing on Carmelo Anthony than if they had gotten him.

As for right now, there is great hope and optimism that these Chicago Bulls are something special.

#CHIvsCLE Leading Men

Despite the repatriation of Lebron James back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lebron made a point of describing the Cavs as "Kyrie's team".

While it is difficult to buy that Lebron would be overshadowed by the Cleveland Cavaliers #1 Overall Pick from the 2011, who was acquired during the summer after Lebron first left Cleveland for South Beach and the Cavs finished with the second worst overall record (19-63), Kyrie Irving is undeniably a talented point guard with play-making instincts and scoring range out to the three-point line.

In fact, it was Kyrie's all-around game that may have gotten Lebron's attention in the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. Kyrie put up 31 points and 14 assists in his second NBA All-Star Game appearance, and in helping the East secure a 163-155 comeback victory over the West, he was named the All-Star Game MVP.

And if it wasn't enough that Lebron James had chosen to come play with him, one would be hard pressed to find an NBA player that has had a better summer than Irving. Kyrie had another great game performance in the Finals of the FIBA World Cup. He was named the MVP of the game as Team USA won gold.

Kyrie Irving seems to have taken advantage of the point guard spotlight being on him, in the absence of Derrick Rose, but DRose is back.

After playing 10 games in the last two plus years, Derrick Rose is back.

NBA fans who did not watch the FIBA World Cup games only heard that Rose shot poorly and split time with Kyrie Irving at the point guard spot.

Forget what you heard, and bull-ieve what you see with your own eyes. Here are highlights of what DRose looked like at the FIBA World Cup:

As a Chicago Bulls fan, if you aren't excited by how Derrick exploded back on the basketball scene during the Team USA tryouts and the flashes of brilliance during the FIBA World Cup, you are missing what the opportunity of playing with Team USA really was about.

Playing in the FIBA tournament, Rose got to knock the rust off of his game and get into NBA practice and conditioning habits with and against elite competition. While his stats were not what one would expect from the former MVP, shooting shots in practice versus shooting in the flow of the game at game speeds and conditions are two different things.

DRose has a head start on getting back into playing shape for the NBA preseason (which official starts tomorrow), as well as, the regular season to come.

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Rose came close to having Carmelo Anthony help to spread the defense for him, but in lieu of that, the Chicago Bulls added multiple offensive weapons and incredible depth to the bench at every position, including coveted rookie Doug McDermott, and prized free agent additions, Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol.

In his Media Interview, Rose has said that he is excited about playing with the talent that was added to the team during the off-season, and that this was the most talented team he has played on with the Chicago Bulls.

And while DRose did not predict another MVP Award as he did on Media Day 2010, prior to being named the youngest NBA MVP ever, he did say that this team will win the NBA Championship "very soon".

Why not this season?

So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote!

#BullsNation Votes #CHIvsCLE Match-Up #7: @dougmcd3 vs. Mike Miller!

NOTE: #CHIvsCLE Match-ups are based on team role and not necessarily position.

If things play out in reality as they do on paper, the Eastern Conference will be a two horse race between the Cleveland Cavaliers and YOUR Chicago Bulls.

This was a truly eventful summer that was filled with fantasies of a Chicago starting five that would have been the best since the Michael Jordan Era. However, when the Bulls were forced to go with Plan B, they went with Plan BIG, as in bringing in two-time NBA Champion Pau Gasol and former Spanish League MVP Nikola Mirotic, as well as, NCAA Scoring Champ and the Consensus College Player of the Year Doug McDermott. If it is possible, the Chicago Bulls may find that in June, they were better off missing on Carmelo Anthony than if they had gotten him.

As for right now, there is great hope and optimism that these Chicago Bulls are something special.

#CHIvsCLE Deadly Sharpshooters

After Lebron James decided to return to Cleveland and the Cavaliers, it seemed as if Mike Miller, along with fellow former Miami Heat teammate James Jones, was one of the first players to jump up and join that conga line.

After pouring in some of the biggest buckets of the Miami Heat's recent repeat NBA Championship, Miller was cut loose, presumably due a combination of salary, as well as, health concerns surrounding the back pain he struggled with throughout his final season there.

After being unceremonially let go by the Miami Heat, Miller returned to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he proved to still be a productive player, averaging 7.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 1.6 APG while shooting 48.% from the field, 45.9% from three-point range.

At 34 years old, a role off the bench behind starting shooting guard Dion Waiters is ideal for Miller to endure a long season with limited minutes, allowing the sharpshooter to have fresh legs come the postseason.

On the other side of the ball, is the Chicago Bulls' rookie, Doug McDermott.

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He has had one of the most outstanding college careers of any basketball player of this generation.

McDermott was already highly decorated when he returned to play his senior year at Creighton, the school's first year in the Big East.

Despite the higher level of competition, McDermott still shined, leading all of college basketball in scoring (26.7 PPG) and being named to the All-Big East Team, as well as, earning First Team All-American honors from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the third time in his college career winning the honor.

To top off his college career, "Dougie McBuckets" was named the Consensus College Player of the Year, and he finished his college career with 3150 total points scored, surpassing Hall of Famer Larry Bird.

And on draft night when he was asked what he hoped for during his career in the NBA, McDermott's answer was a simple one. "I want to play for the NBA Championship," answered McDermott.

Hopefully, this season will be the first of many occassions that McDermott's dream comes true as a member of the Chicago Bulls.

So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote!

@dougmcd3 Doug McDermott Sings The 7th Inning Stretch at Wrigley Field!

It has been a fantastic off-season for the Chicago Bulls.

DRose appears to be back and healthy.

The Bulls not only got rid of Boozer's contract, they added Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic with the cap space.

And the long awaited Charlotte Bobcats 1st Round Pick was finally cashed in and packaged in a trade  with the Bulls' own 1st Round Pick in this year's NBA Draft to acquire the rights to Doug McDermott.

And although "Dougie McBuckets" was taken with the 11th Pick, he lit up NBA Summer League, along with Chicago Bulls swingman Tony Snell, and earned a place on the All-Summer League First Team.

And although Summer League is not the NBA by any means, it was NBA level talent that McBuckets torched.

McDermott was also named to the Team USA Select Team, which is sort of the junior varsity squad from which Team USA could draw from in the future.

So, with all that success already, Doug McDermott seems to be incapable of any wrong... until yesterday... when he sang the classic "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch of the Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants game at Wrigley Field.

Thankfully, there is video:

While not the absolute worst rendition of all time, it was pretty bad.

Fortunately, Doug McDermott's day job is to wear #3 for the Chicago Bulls and knock down shots (which he is exceptional at), and most Chicago Cubs fans are pretty drunk by the 7th inning stretch.

Any thoughts or opinions on Doug McDermott's rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game"? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Could Doug McDermott Be The First Rookie To Start Under Thibodeau?

While Chicago Bulls Head Coach Tom Thibodeau has not leaked any details of his 2014-15 starting lineup, it would seem logical that the following is what the starting lineup will be, with one exception:

PG     Derrick Rose

SG     Jimmy Butler

SF     ?????

PF     Pau Gasol

  C     Joakim Noah 

The starting small forward spot.

It was where Carmelo Anthony was supposed to fit in perfectly.

But as of right now, the role may go back to Mike Dunleavy, Jr., but with the already defensive heavy starting lineup, there would be a great deal of logic to starting rookie Doug McDermott at the small forward spot.

McDermott was the leading scorer in college basketball last season at Creighton, averaging 26.7 PPG. He passed Hall of Famer Larry Bird on the NCAA All-Time Scoring list, and was named the consensus national basketball player of the year.

As a four year college player, he was named to the All-America first team three times.

As a basketball player he is not like most rookies in the NBA.

And he showed it with his solid NBA Summer League performance, where he put up a gaudy 18 PPG, 4 RPG, 2.8 APG on 44% shooting from 3.

And after never shooting below 40% from 3 during all four years in college, it is the very special skill that Doug McDermott brings that the Chicago Bulls need in the starting lineup.

With his consistent three point accuracy, the Bull will have the sharpshooter they need in order to space the floor for both Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol, creating both driving lanes and post-up scoring opportunities.

Meanwhile, Dunleavy on the second unit along with Kirk Hinrich, Tony Snell, Taj Gibson, and Nikola Mirotic, would form a solid, balanced, deep, and experienced Bench Mob unit to rest the starters.

Head Coach Tom Thibodeau has been asked about his plans for the starting lineup given his new, very deep, reloaded team. He has only coyly answered that he finally has a good problem to try to figure out.

And when he was questioned by Waddle and Silvy about his reluctance to play rookies, Coach Thibs was very clear that it was not that players were rookies, it was that he liked good basketball players.

A good basketball player was what the Chicago Bulls front office was targeting when they traded two first round picks in order to move up to take Doug McDermott.

And what is unquestionable is Coach Thibs and the entire organization's affinity for the smart and hard-working rookie out of Creighton because of his high basketball IQ. So don't be surprised if McDermott earns an opportunity to start as a rookie for this stacked Chicago Bulls team.

Do you think that Doug McDermott should start at the small forward? What do you think the starting lineup should be? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Kevin Love To Cavs Unofficially: What Does It Mean For The Chicago Bulls?

While there can be no official action on the agreement yet, the Minnesota Timberwolves have reportedly arrived at a "handshake agreement" to trade Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In exchange for Love, the Cavs agree to send 2014 #1 Pick Andrew Wiggins and 2013 #1 Pick Anthony Bennett, along with a protected 2015 First Round Pick to the Timberwolves.

Love, for his part, will opt out of his deal in 2015 and resign with Cleveland for a reported contract worth $120M over 5 years.

The reported trade potentially creates a new Big Three of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love with Lebron James in Cleveland.

Other off-season moves by the Cavs will also reunite Lebron with former Miami Heat teammates Mike Miller and James Jones.

With Central Division foes Cleveland getting two All-Stars over the summer, what does this mean for the Chicago Bulls?

A few weeks ago, it might have been the power move that the Cavs needed to put a stranglehold on the Eastern Conference.

But that was before Derrick Rose began practicing with Team USA.

There almost didn't appear to be any rust or hesitation from the nearly two years away from the game, as DRose has absolutely left no doubters about his ability to regain his elite status in the NBA.

Going into the Team USA training camp, talk was mostly about whether Rose would make the cut. However at this stage, Rose has not only made the first cut, but he will most likely reprise his starting role from the 2010 World Championships, when he last played with Team USA.

Team USA Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski has gone on record as saying that Derrick Rose has returned to playing at an elite level.

All the positive reports out of Team USA practice, along with the shrewd off-season moves made by the Chicago Bulls front office, has fueled rampant optimism and excitement about the Bulls going into the season.

Despite missing on elite scorer and top free agent target Carmelo Anthony, the Chicago Bulls might have had an even better summer than if they had committed all their cap space to one player.

The Chicago Bulls added Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic, two elite international players that potentially give the Bulls the deepest frontline rotation in the NBA, along with Taj Gibson and Defensive Player of the Year, Joakim Noah.

The Bulls are also going to be all right at the wings, too, as they can boast having two of the best from the NBA Summer League: Tony Snell and rookie phenom, Doug McDermott.

Cleveland's addition of Kevin Love was really a move that they needed to keep pace with what the Chicago Bulls have been able to accomplish during the off-season.

The Chicago Bulls should at least start the season with an advantage over the Cavs, as former Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau already has a system in place to integrate his new players into: a system that had the Chicago Bulls finishing with the best record in the NBA in back-to-back seasons.

And Derrick (as well as all of Chicago) is excited because this is possibly the best team that DRose has ever played with in Chicago. And so the NBA season can't come soon enough for Chicago Bulls fans, or their players!

Who do you think will finish with the better record, the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Chicago Bulls? Who will go further in the playoffs, the Cavs or the Bulls? Will this Chicago Bulls team bring an NBA Championship to Chicago? If you BULL-ieve, let us know in the comments below!

Derrick Rose Watch: 5 Ways The Meniscus Injury Could Have Saved His Career, Chicago Bulls? Part 2

Click here for PART 1.

Here are (the final 4 of) 5 ways that the more recent meniscus injury suffered by DRose could have saved his career and the Chicago Bulls NBA Championship hopes (continued):

2.  Extra Time to Develop His Game

Since Derrick Rose suffered the ACL injury, the experts have all said that the injury was a result of the way DRose plays the game, going to the hole strong, getting punished on the drive, and finishing with his athleticism.

Another player with a similar game, Dwayne Wade, has fallen off from being a dominant player because of knee issues that now limit his explosiveness.

Those same evaluators want Rose to develop the other parts of his game that will allow Rose to rely less on driving and finishing at the rim with his athleticism.

In the preseason after his initial return, Rose displayed a nice looking new three point stroke that he had added. With the additional rehab time, we would expect Rose to have solidified his three point, mid-range, and teardrop shots, as well as, adding ways to elude contact, effectively adding years to his career.

3.  His Teammates Got To Develop

In Derrick's absence, Joakim Noah got to fully embrace his role as the leader of this Chicago Bulls team. The steps Noah has taken since declaring that the floundering Bulls were not going to tank last season catapulted him into the MVP conversation and helped him win Defensive Player of the Year. But only because he did his leading both on and off the court.

After his announcement, Noah amassed one of the most dominant stretches of 4 games by a player in this generation, putting up three triple-doubles. It opened a lot of eyes around the league and earned Noah the respect around the NBA that the center has long deserved.

Beginning at the All-Star break, Jo made his biggest impact as the leader of the Chicago Bulls off the court when he began his recruitment of free agent Carmelo Anthony. And while Carmelo ultimately decided not to leave the comfort of New York, the threat of Chicago as a serious destination for Melo probably caused the Knicks to overpay to retain Anthony, as well as forced the Knicks into a wait til next season plan rather than retooling to become competitive more immediately.

However, Noah was part of the party that travelled to Los Angeles to meet with Pau Gasol, which ultimately resulted in the 2-time NBA Champion joining the Chicago Bulls. The addition of Gasol may be one of the most under-appreciated coups that could most affect the upcoming season's NBA Championship race.

Noah has always been a leader, but in assuming the role for the Chicago Bulls, it takes the pressure and expectations off of Rose to do it all. Noah's success is documented, including leading the Florida Gators to back to back NCAA National Championships, and Bulls fans hope that his embracing of the leadership role for the Bulls will yield similar results.

Taj Gibson was also able to emerge as a starting quality power forward with increased playing time and the need for him to be more assertive on the offensive end. He put up career-best numbers in 2013-14, and he narrowly missed being named Sixth Man of the Year.

With the acquisition of Pau Gasol, who will most likely start, Taj Gibson will likely have another crack at winning Sixth Man of the Year.

4.  The Team Developed Their Identity

The Chicago Bulls have been one of the most consistent teams over the Tom Thibodeau era in terms of effort and identity as a defensive powerhouse.

But in DRose's absence, the Bulls went through the kind of pressure and adversity that creates diamonds from coal. In the forge of last season, the Chicago Bulls chose to fight and grind every night despite little chance of going deep in the playoffs. It demonstrates the character of the players at the core of this team as warriors and winners.

By putting winning first, the team solidified its winning culture and proved the abilities and quality of the role players on the team, making the team more attractive to free agents, enticing to Carmelo Anthony and ultimately, luring Pau Gasol to the team.


5.  Trust

One of the biggest ways the meniscus injury may have saved Derrick Rose's career, as well as, the Chicago Bulls' championship aspirations is providing the time it takes to build trust.

Time has shown that Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, and the rest of the Chicago Bulls have worked hard to become a formidable unit around Rose that are not only great talents in their own right, but also more than the sum of their parts.

Their hard work in the off season and experience in Rose's absence have developed them as players that can be trusted to share the load of winning. Even new faces like Doug McDermott and Pau Gasol are players that have achieved and bring that experience to a Chicago Bulls team reloaded to win now.

Rose has also had the time to not only allow the ACL injury to fully heal, but also ample time to build trust in the knee again. Guarding of the surgically repaired knee may have been a contributing factor to the injury to the right knee, and it was because he favored the knee that had not been surgically repaired.

But with nearly two entire seasons off, Rose has not only had time enough to heal and build trust in both knees, he is now hungrier than ever to prove to the world that he can return to dominance. DRose is on a mission.

How far will DRose and the Chicago Bulls go in the 2015 NBA Playoffs? Will DRose return to his dominant form? If you BULL-ieve, let us know in the comments below!