With the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame set to induct an array of legends this weekend, a trio of former Chicago Bulls stars has been floated as potential fits for inclusion down the line.
Chicago already has several all-time greats in its history who have made the cut, perhaps most notably shooting guard Michael Jordan, small forward Scottie Pippen, combo forward Dennis Rodman, center Artis Gilmore, power forward Toni Kukoc and head coach Phil Jackson.
One contemporary ex-Bull, now Golden State Warriors small forward Jimmy Butler, already seems like a virtual lock to get the call after he hangs up his sneakers. The 6-foot-7 swingman out of Marquette is a six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA honoree, and five-time All-Defensive Teamer, who has twice led his Miami Heat squads to the NBA Finals as their best player.
Ex-Bulls stars could be headed to Springfield
But three others might make the grade, too.
Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic believes that former 2011 MVP point guard Derrick Rose, former 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah, and former four-time All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo could be fringe contenders for the Hall, among recent retirees.
“Only 14 players have ever made First Team All-NBA but missed out on the Hall if eligible,” Vorkunov writes. “Only seven have won Defensive Player of the Year but not made the Hall. Noah and Gasol are on both lists.”
Former three-time All-Star Marc Gasol, best known for his tenures with the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors, is another fringe case. Gasol’s longevity and international record may eventually put him over the top. Noah is a longer shot, as Vorkunov allows.
“Noah only has one astounding season on the back of his trading card, but he finished fourth in MVP voting in 2014 while making first team All-NBA, and he did win two NCAA titles at the University of Florida, which certainly won’t hurt his case. Rose will see if winning the MVP is enough to get him into the Hall. He has a higher BBRHOFP [Basketball Reference’s Hall of Fame Probability rate] than Pete Maravich and Spencer Haywood, but his career was never the same after in his fourth NBA season.”
A 6-foot-11 big man out of Florida, Noah was named to three All-Defensive Teams, the 2014 All-NBA First Team, and a pair of All-Star teams. Noah also finished among the top 12 in MVP voting twice.
In his nine seasons with the Bulls, Noah averaged 9.3 points on 49 percent shooting from the field and 71.1 percent shooting from the foul line, 9.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.8 steals a night.
“Rose will see if winning the MVP is enough to get him into the Hall. He has a higher BBRHOFP than Pete Maravich and Spencer Haywood, but his career was never the same after in his fourth NBA season.”
The 6-foot-11 Memphis product was on a Hall of Fame trajectory prior to a pair of career-altering injuries, an ACL tear in 2012 and a meniscus tear in 2013. He averaged 19.7 points on .448/.302/.813 shooting splits, 6.2 dimes, 3.7 boards and 0.8 steals in his seven healthy seasons with Chicago (he was technically rostered for eight, but he also missed the entire 2012-13 season).
Beyond his 2010-11 MVP season leading Chicago to a 62-20 run, Rose also made three All-Star squads, one All-NBA First Team, and a Rookie of the Year honor i n2009.
“Rondo led the NBA in assists three times, steals once and made an All-NBA team, and won a title early in his career and another as a reserve,” Vorkunov observes.
In addition to his four All-Star seasons, Rondo was a four-time All-Defensive Teamer, an All-NBA Third Teamer, and a two-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.
Noah, Rose, Rondo and Gasol are also joined by former Chicago lottery pick LaMarcus Aldridge (who was infamously traded on draft night in 2006 to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for zero-time All-Star forward Tyrus Thomas).
Several players without Bulls ties are also on the fringes of getting into Springfield: six-time All-Star L.A. Clippers and Detroit Pistons power forward Blake Griffin, former three-time All-NBA Orlando Magic point guard Anfernee Hardaway, 2015 Finals MVP Golden State Warriors wing Andre Iguodala, and six-time All-Star Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks power forward Amar’e Stoudemire.
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