Shaq-to-Chicago Trade Rumors Swirl

As word spread yesterday that Phoenix and Cleveland were working on a trade that would send Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavs where he would presumably help out LeBron James, there were plenty of other teams being tossed around. Including our Bulls. Even though ESPN didn't list the Bulls as a major player in the "Shaq Sweepstakes" - and one has to wonder how much a winner the team that lands the 37-year-old O'Neal would really be - The Arizona Republic says otherwise.

It seems the Suns are interested in the Bulls' Luol Deng. According to their report, O'Neal would head to Chicago in exchange for Deng, Tim Thomas, and another player. The reasoning? In the longish run, the Bulls would then look to dump Shaq's salary in trades next season in a bid to clear up cap space to bring in a big free agent like Dwyane Wade in next year's huge free agent class (which includes Chris Bosh and the aforementioned King James). The Republic continues, "And we can't dismiss anything from Chicago, considering the relationships that Suns General Manager Steve Kerr has with Bulls General Manager John Paxson and coach Vinny Del Negro." Hmmm. We figure the Bulls would make a play for one of next year's big fish, but we don't see the benefits of giving away three players for a Shaq that's 60 percent the Shaq of old. Are we wrong? [via]