Sources with knowledge of Chicago’s thinking told ESPN.com that Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was prepared last week to go into the luxury tax if necessary if a legit trade scenario involving Gasol had materialized.

Which suggests that the Bulls, if they’re that high on Pau, are bound to try to trade for him again.

Nor have they abandoned hope of courting Dwight Howard via trade, sources said, despite Howard’s longstanding coolness toward the idea of relocating to Chicago and the extra season he just committed to Orlando by opting in for the 2012-13 season.

via Marc Stein of ESPN