NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls Look To Lock Down Kevin Martin
Add another player on the list of guys over 30 who the Chicago Bulls are interested in. According to Amico Hoops, the Bulls are one of the teams looking at signing shooting guard Kevin Martin.
Kevin Martin, is a shoot-first guard specializes in scoring. Would he be the right fit on the Chicago Bulls?
Before getting into how Martin fits with the team in terms of how it affects the roster, it must be acknowledged that the Bulls have altered their supposed philosophy.
After the close of the NBA Draft, Chicago Bulls’ general manager Gar Forman offered an agenda — he wants to make the Bulls younger and more athletic (courtesy of ESPN). In order for the embattled Forman to do so it required a near strip-down of the roster.
As we stand today with one week left in July is the exact opposite, or perhaps a mix of what the Bulls suggested they wanted to become.
“We had a great run for 10 years. The last decade, we’ve got the best record in the Eastern Conference. We’ve put together a group that we thought was highly competitive and probably had a chance to get to a championship level. The injuries obviously derailed us quite a bit, especially the last few years. And then last year there were just so many of them. But we’ve got to put this back together now, going younger, more athletic and building it back up moving into the future.”
Adding 30 year-old point guard (courtesy of NBA.com) Rajon Rondo does not suggest getting younger and more athletic. It signals that the Chicago Bulls want to try and catch lightning in a bottle.
When the Bulls signed a 34-year-old (courtesy of ESPN) Dwyane Wade, they threw out the notion that they were rebuilding. The word rebuilding has never been used by Gar Forman or Bulls ‘Vice President John Paxson. Everyone in the Bulls’ organization have been consistent in telling the public that their plan is to retool the roster, not rebuild it. And in a sense, the Bulls have done that. They have also become slightly younger along the way.
Chicago Bulls are expressing interest in free agent SG Kevin Martin – (Source: Sam Amico) – https://t.co/prT4oO53Xt pic.twitter.com/DNCPH3eu7g
— Chicago Bulls Rumors (@chicagobullsbot) July 23, 2016
Looking at how the Chicago Bulls’ roster currently stands, the need for another shooter is evident. Being interested in Kevin Martin makes sense despite him being a 33 year-old. The biggest criticism of the Bulls’ roster is twofold.
Can three players who all need the basketball, Rondo, Wade, and Jimmy Butler, coexist?
And, where is the shooting going to come from?
Players have to sacrifice their games all the time. As long as the backcourt trio is willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the Bulls, the first answer is an easy one. As for the second question, take a look at what the Bulls are building right now.
Rajon Rondo was never an athlete in the vein of Russell Westbrook. That said, he usually finds the right shots for his teammates, even if he has the tendency to pound the basketball too much.
In Dwyane Wade, the Bulls have an older player with a chip on his shoulder. Wade wants to prove to everyone that doubts him, he is still a 20-point scorer in the NBA. Having Rondo get him the ball in the spots where he can accomplish scoring 20 points a game helps.
Gar Forman & John Paxson did tell the truth on saying: "This was the off-season of Change". A New Roster. #Bulls https://t.co/crnfO6HSrY
— Carlos Douglas Jr. (@TheRealC_Los) July 14, 2016
Both Rondo and Wade are over 30 and nearing the ends of their prime years. The Bulls are committed to them for two years, or less. Jimmy Butler is the younger player, who will be around longer. Butler benefits greatly from being around a pure point guard and future Hall of Famer.
How can the Bulls maximize on their temporary nucleus?
If you are one of the the countless fans who have questioned what the Bulls are doing, the answer is above. The Chicago Bulls want to maximize on what they currently have. It is their plan to return to the NBA playoffs and plug in whatever holes they have along the way. And although the Eastern Conference has improved near the top of the heap, a few bounces one way or another will determine seeds 2-6.
It is safe to say that the Chicago Bulls are in the mix for one of those spots. They need a shooter on hand in order to maximize their chances. Adding three-point specialist Isaiah Canaan gives the Bulls a young shooter. After the last few seasons with the Aaron Brooks experiment, a 25 year-old gunner fits what the Bulls wanted. Veterans are needed on a team with playoff aspirations like the Bulls have. This is where Kevin Martin would fit in.
Martin has a career average of 17.4 points a game, which includes a.384 shooting percentage from the three-point line. Kevin Martin has a career true shooting of.585. Having him on the roster would give the second unit some much-needed scoring.
Given the NBA rumors swirling about the Bulls’ interest in Sacramento Kings’ small forward Rudy Gay, getting an older Kevin Martin would cost less. Bringing in Kevin Martin does not cost the Bulls Taj Gibson. If the Bulls are forced to cut a player, they can release guard Spencer Dinwiddie, or assign him to their D-League team later down the line. Another thing that the Bulls can do is find a trade for Tony Snell in order to have a roster spot available. There is a couple of months to go before the Bulls have to make a decision if they add Kevin Martin.
The Chicago Bulls are looking at another older player in Kevin Martin. Some people may scoff at the idea because he does not appear to be part of what the Bulls’ initial plans were. Like it or not, the Chicago Bulls believe they are a playoff team with the roster they have assembled. And they will do everything to maximize what they have on hand.
Whether that means the Bulls are interested in signing a 33 year-old shooting guard in Kevin Martin or trading for a 29 year-old Rudy Gay. No one has to agree with it. It does not matter. The Bulls’ plan is to win as many games as possible, while putting butts in seats.
At no point did the Chicago Bulls say they were rebuilding.
[Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]
