According to a report from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, Michael Redd has drawn interest from multiple teams across the NBA, the Chicago Bulls being one of them (via Sulia.com).
But is it the right call for Chicago? Let’s investigate.
With Derrick Rose, the Bulls desperately need another scoring option, as they’re No. 18 in the NBA in scoring without a dynamic outside shooter.
Without Derrick Rose, the Bulls fundamentally require another scoring option, as the top scorers are Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer with no real set-up guy.
Either way, the Bulls feature minimal scoring threats. They recently signed Marco Belinelli and Nate Robinson to play backup shooting guard and backup point/shooting guard, respectively. Belinelli averaged 12 points per game, while Robinson offered 11 off the bench for Golden State. The latter is a crafty energizer that can adequately back up Kirk Hinrich.
Both shoot fairly well from beyond the arc, but neither provides a significant punch offensively. The other problem is that Richard Hamilton, the man ahead of them on the depth chart, shoots roughly the same percentage. Chicago is actively shopping the 34-year-old and his $5 million deal, but no takers have materialized.
So, does bringing in a 33-year-old, who has come off repeated injury-shorted seasons (left knee) that have limited to him to just 112 games over the past four years, make any sense?
Redd’s class-act demeanor notwithstanding, all conventional logic points to no.
Both Redd and Hamilton have lost more than a step and will never again fulfill an adequate scoring role in their mid-30s. Out of all four, Redd also shot the lowest percentage overall in 2011.
His player efficiency rating (PER) of 14 percent was higher than Rip’s and Belinelli’s, but still lower than Robinson’s.
What’s for certain is that the defensive-minded Chicago Bulls cannot rely on any individual currently on their roster to carry the offensive load. Only as a collective group can they sufficiently get by in Rose’s absence—defensive prowess being their backbone.
Incorporating Michael Redd and his 8.2 points per game into the mix does not significantly improve the Bulls, either.
They must keep scouring the market for a younger, game-changing type scorer.
Derrick Rose just can’t come back quickly enough, can he?
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