Right now, the worst thing that the Chicago Bulls can do is trade out Pau Gasol. With the team visibly shorthanded in forwards these days, trading away someone who has been chipping in points and rebounds may be a bad idea.
Trades are nothing new to Gasol. In fact, he lived it when he was still with the Los Angeles Lakers. So hearing about them again in Chicago is nothing new, although the scenario is different.
For the Spaniard, what is important is coming out and playing each time he is fielded in. The Bulls need that push from their forward line right now, with Joakim Noah taken out for the season with a shoulder injury and Nikola Mirotić dealing with health issues.
Bobby Portis has shown promise but being a rookie, that run is bound to be an inconsistent one. That leaves Gasol as the lone consistent option for now, seeing how he has been in the NBA for quite some time now.
But if something tempting is placed on the table, Gasol could be sent packing. The NBA trade deadline is still a couple of weeks away so anything can happen.
The Bulls may eventually try to re-sign Gasol this season, although the Spaniard plans to test the market where he could get a better offer by the offseason. And should that be his plan, the Bulls could jump to a possible trade deal knowing they don't have a good lock on Gasol and signing him to a deal within their budget.
Either way, Gasol knows that anything is possible. He doesn't have a no-trade clause so he is open to whatever happens from here on.
One thing he may be wary of is his age. Gasol will be turning 36 this July, so a bigger payday may depend on how he defines it.
But despite that and seeing how he is playing lately, he could be dangled one. The only question is which team.
