Seeing Redd

Awful puns aside, isn't it about time people started paying attention to Michael Redd again? Two years of injury can have a devastating effect on the player who was the face of a franchise until recently and a 2008 Olympian with the Redeem Team. Just ask Tracy McGrady, who has shown with the Pistons he can still produce, even if it's in a lesser role. Maybe the Bulls should have taken a bite when they had the chance. But they might just get a second attempt; no not with McGrady, he'll likely never suit up with the Bulls, but in the titular player; Michael Redd.

As poorly as the Bucks are playing, there doesn't seem to be a place for Redd in Milwaukee once his gargantuan contract expires. They like Salmons as their 2-guard; he's younger, relatively injury free and has just been granted a new contract. Somehow, I don't think Redd sticks around as a substitute on a team that is further from a title run than we all thought after a promising run last season.

Now, as I said earlier, the Bulls already drove away one veteran SG in McGrady, but despite their bringing in Korver, Brewer and Bogans, they would be so much better with the prototypical SG who can launch bombs from deep. Redd has more in common with the G.O.A.T. than just a first name; both are the ideal 6'6" for their SG position, have won Olympic gold, and with a bit of luck, will both have played for the Chicago Bulls.

While the Bulls have exceeded expectations due to the brilliance of Rose, he can't keep up this pace forever, and a legitimate scoring threat like Redd in the back-court would be ideal. Redd might be old by NBA standards, but the Bulls have shown they are ready to make a title run right now, so that veteran presence might be just the ticket. Let's take a closer look at Redd though; he's a career 20ppg scorer, a respectable 38.4% shooter from deep and close to 45% from the field as a whole. He wouldn't command a huge price, we've seen that the market for injury plagued veterans on the tail end of their career isn't particularly lucrative. Are you telling me that the Bulls shouldn't take a chance on Redd if he can stay healthy into the off-season?

If this all pans out, perhaps Mike and Redd will share another thing in common; they'll both raise a championship banner in Chicago, even if their roles are a little different.