It sounds like the sinking Chicago Bulls could be looking toward the future.
Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that the Bulls are “aggressively shopping” All-Star forward Pau Gasol.
“Bulls general manager Gar Forman seems determined to move him before Thursday’s trade deadline with the hope of bringing back value,” Wojnarowski wrote.
The deal makes sense for the Bulls, who previously lost center Joakim Noah for the season due to injuries. Cornerstone guard Jimmy Butler is expected to miss at least a month with an injury, and young forward Nikola Mirotic could be out longer than that.
The 35-year-old Gasol, though, can opt out of his contract at the end of the season. Given his two consecutive All-Star appearances for Chicago and a rising salary cap, it’s likely Gasol will do just that to get paid. That could put a damper on his trade value, though, which means he could be a perfect target for a contender — like the Boston Celtics or Memphis Grizzlies — looking to boost its lineup for the stretch run.
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