Report: Bulls demanding 1st-round pick for Taj Gibson

Prying a healthy body away from the Chicago Bulls' depleted frontcourt won't be easy.

The Bulls are looking for a "player and first-round pick" in any deal involving power forward Taj Gibson, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Gibson, along with just about every other frontcourt player in Chicago, was reportedly available last month, but a season-ending injury to Joakim Noah, and an appendectomy for Nikola Mirotic has left the Bulls extremely thin on the interior.

That being said, ESPN's Zach Lowe reported Tuesday that the Bulls did pitch the Toronto Raptors on a swap of Gibson for stretch forward Patrick Patterson.

Johnson, however, hears conflicting noise on any potential talks between Chicago and Toronto.

The 30-year-old Gibson is averaging eight points and 7.2 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per game. He ranks as one of the league's best defenders for his position, and is owed an affordable $8 million for the 2016-17 season.