The Monta Ellis rumor mill is churning out big ones these days. The current one? The Golden State Warriors are interested in the Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose. So are 25 NBA teams, Adidas, Powerade, and many many single ladies. I'm going to guess there won't be any returning phone calls for the MVP to be dealt to the Bay Area in exchange for
But center Joakim Noah? They would at least try to pick up the phone. It would be a step toward the defensive mentality the Warriors are trying to establish with general manager Jerry West and head coach Mark Jackson. Sam Smith of NBA.com believes that Noah is the likeliest possibility, but it'd be hard to see the Bulls being interested in a guard like Ellis who doesn't bring the defensive intensity that Tom Thibodeau teams generally put on the court.
On the flip side though, it was clear that defense wasn't really the problem against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. It was Rose or bust for Chicago when they were looking for scoring options, and LeBron James put him on ice. Ellis (who is one of the few guys who can drive past Dwyane Wade in this league) could provide that second crucial scoring burst Chicago needs to get to the Finals next season.
Bulls fans, Warriors fans would you make a Monta Ellis-for-Joakim Noah trade? If not, what would be a better trade for both teams?
For more on the Warriors, check out Golden State of Mind. For more on the Bulls, it's Blog A Bull time.