The current NBA landscape most closely resembles a dystopia, at least from a local perspective. Derrick Rose would be dying if he weren't already dead, LeBron James has once and for all fulfilled the prophecy, and every damn NBA post on this website last week concluded with a video of the Miami Heat hoisting up the championship trophy. There is no good in this world; not much is redeemable.
It is because of all this that a late night story from respected Yahoo! Sports NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski tying the Chicago Bulls to shooting guard Brandon Roy created such a stir. After all, for the basketball fans in this fair city, what else do we have if not for quacked-out, half-baked rumors that would seem sent to this Earth directly from left field? We would have nothing, that's what.
And yes: Chicago Bulls + Brandon Roy is certainly something that piques the mind's interest, assuming said mind is permanently stuck in 2007. But even still. While we don't hate the idea of Roy to the Bulls, we don't love it, either.
Roy, as you may remember, was once known as one of the very best shooting guards in the NBA. Who could possibly forget this?
And then his body betrayed him. The Bulls actually had the opportunity to employ Roy before, but they passed on him in the 2006 NBA Draft, partially because they had a shooting guard in Ben Gordon, partially because concerns over the long-term durability of Roy's knees were well-known and apparently well-founded.
At his peak, the only two-guards in this game better were Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. Maybe Manu, maybe Joe Johnson, but give us Roy's size, versatility, ball handling and scoring acumen any day. Dude was such a baller. Unfortunately, those days appear long gone.
Roy, still only 27 years old, was forced to retire before the start of last season due to a degenerative knee condition. Now, after receiving the same platelet rich plasma therapy procedure that helped the careers of Bryant and New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, Roy is rumored to be ready to return to the game. But is he really healthy?
Probably not. Take the esteemed Zach Lowe's word for it:
Have spoken to three sports medicine experts who say platelet-rich-plasma therapy would have little/no value to Brandon Roy.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_SI) June 26, 2012
@RotowireATC Yeah, that's what folks are saying.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_SI) June 26, 2012
So, alas, Roy likely doesn't have much left in the tank. However, that could actually help the Bulls sign him.
The Portland Trail Blazers amnestied Roy before last season, meaning Brandon Roy has money. He signed a maximum contract in 2009, and didn't have to do much to earn every penny of it. He also can't resign in Portland until the deal expires, which would follow the 2013-2014 season. If Roy is to play basketball again, it won't be at the Rose Garden. So what kind of offers can we expect Roy to field?
Woj has the Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves joining the Bulls as the top suitors. Minnesota is said to be ready to offer a two-year deal. Woj quotes anonymous sources in saying Roy could be offered a full mid-level exception, worth around $5 million a year.
Chicago is unlikely to have that due to how close the team is to crossing into the luxury tax. Instead, the Bulls will have the mini mid-level, worth about $2 million. Brandon Roy has money. Might he pass up a few million dollars to come to Chicago?
It's possible. As Matt at Blog-a-Bull pointed out, he's also represented by Arn Tellem, who's close with Chicago owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
Just realize that Roy is an unlikely savior. Signing Roy amounts to taking a flyer, one with less upside than some might assume. Perhaps he could give the Bulls 15-25 good minutes a night, which would certainly make him valuable, to a point. But despite his age, he's no long-term solution. Counting on Brandon Roy is like counting on Humpty Dumpty. It might not even be worth the trouble.
For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull.