Category: Bulls Free Agency

Chicago Bulls free agency plan should focus on future not continuity

As the Chicago Bulls prepare for the 2024 offseason, they should be looking toward the future, not the present.

In 2021, the Chicago Bulls decided to go all-in on a new core of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic. Throw in the role-player pieces of Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, and the Bulls were off and running. Until they weren’t. An injury to Ball that has still yet to be resolved derailed their season, and now, they’ve spent two years without an above-.500 season.

Heading into the 2024 offseason, big changes should be on the horizon in Chicago. They need to take a long look in the mirror and figure out what they can do to improve their future outlook because their current roster clearly isn’t working.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report recently detailed an offseason plan for the Bulls, and in it, he breaks down their potential pathways in free agency.

“If Chicago bets big on continuity again, then financial flexibility isn’t happening,” Buckley wrote. “Should the Bulls choose to bring back DeRozan (unrestricted free agent), Patrick Williams (restricted) and Andre Drummond (unrestricted), they could wind up in the luxury tax. If they don’t, they’d have a better chance of adding external talent. Then again, letting them walk might be a signal that this front office is prioritizing the future and therefore less incentivized to spend now.”

The Bulls need change in a bad way.

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DeMar DeRozan listed among ‘riskiest’ expensive free agents

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan was labeled as one of the “riskiest” free agents of the summer.

The Chicago Bulls have some cutthroat decisions to make this summer. Rumors have indicated their willingness to pay DeMar DeRozan in free agency, but that comes with risks. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report listed DeRozan among the “riskiest big-money” free agents of the offseason.

“It’s fair to question where DeRozan stands on a championship-level team, though,” Swartz wrote. “He’s set to turn 35 this summer and clearly isn’t a No. 1 option. Even being a No. 2 looks like a bit of a stretch (could a Nikola Jokić-DeRozan combo win a title?), leaving us to consider DeRozan a solid No. 3 option. How many teams would be willing to match the Bulls’ offer of $40 million a year for their third-best player?

“DeRozan returning to the Bulls doesn’t make sense for his own championship aspirations, pending some drastic changes around him. For someone entering his 16th season but with just one conference finals appearance thus far, winning a title has to be at the top of his wish list. That isn’t going to happen in Chicago anytime soon. Exploring sign-and-trade options to a contender may be what’s best for all involved here, especially if DeRozan will accept an annual salary closer to $30 million a year.”

The Bulls aren’t anywhere close to a title contender, so paying DeRozan doesn’t make too much sense. Simultaneously, teams around the league have the right to question whether DeRozan’s playstyle is conducive to winning at the highest level.

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Goga Bitadze listed as potential Chicago Bulls free agency target

Goga Bitadze was suggested as a potential free agency target for the Chicago Bulls.

As the Chicago Bulls look to restructure their roster this summer, they’ll have a lot of different pathways to consider. Nailing their pick in the draft will be a top priority, as will hitting on any trades they make. However, the Bulls will also have to be smart with their money in free agency. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report sees Goga Bitadze as a potential target for them.

“For the past two seasons, the Bulls have had one of the Association’s best backup bigs in Andre Drummond,” Buckley wrote. “He may have been too productive for them to keep, though, as he enters unrestricted free agency having posted per-36-minutes averages of 18.9 rebounds, 17.4 points and 3.1 combined steals and blocks, per Basketball-Reference. If Drummond heads elsewhere, Chicago could tab Goga Bitadze as his replacement.

“The 24-year-old quietly engineered his best season to date. With his breakout somewhat masked by his limited role within Orlando’s crowded frontcourt, though, he might not see the kind of contract offers his play arguably warrants. And since he’s mostly confined to contributing on the interior, he probably isn’t the kind of big that really excites modern front offices. Still, he’s super reliable as a finisher (career-high 60.3 field-goal percentage) and as a rim protector (1.2 blocks in only 15.4 minutes), and he sees the game well enough to chip in as a passer, too.”

Adding a guy like Bitadze could help the Bulls upgrade their center depth.

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Chicago Bulls front office deserves credit for free agency steals

Despite all the criticism they get, the Chicago Bulls front office made some great moves this past offseason.

The Chicago Bulls have been a beacon of mediocrity for the past few seasons. Outside of a brief period of success when Lonzo Ball was healthy, they’ve been a middle-of-the-pack team, having won just one playoff game with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic leading the way. Needless to say, the fanbase has been frustrated.

However, while Chicagoans have a right to be upset with the front office for their lack of movement, as the team hasn’t made a trade at the deadline in three years, they have done some good things, too. This summer, they brought back two key pieces in free agency, both of whom have been amazing this season.

The Bulls Central YouTube channel recently discussed why the Bulls front office deserves credit for re-signing Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu for great contracts.

White re-signed in Chicago on a three-year, $36 million contract, while Dosunmu inked a three-year, $21 million deal.

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Buddy Hield listed as ‘dream’ free agency target for Chicago Bulls

Buddy Hield could be a perfect free agency target for the Chicago Bulls.

It’s been a weird season for the Chicago Bulls this season. They started the year 5-14 and looked destined to be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. However, they turned things around, and now, they’re going to be in the Play-In Tournament, likely taking on the Atlanta Hawks in the 9-10 games.

That said, there are a lot of areas in which the Bulls should look to improve this summer. One of which is their play behind the three-point line, as the Bulls have consistently been one of the worst shooting teams for the past few seasons with this current core.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report listed Buddy Hield as a “dream” free agency target for the Bulls this summer.

“The Bulls are in the bottom half of the league in both threes per game and three-point percentage, so a volume outside shooter like Hield (3.1 threes with a 40.1 three-point percentage for his career) would do a lot to open up the middle of the floor for LaVine and Vučević,” Bailey wrote.

Adding Hield would give Chicago a huge boost on offense.

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Does DeMar DeRozan have leverage in extension talks with Bulls?

Who has leverage in extension talked: DeMar DeRozan or the Chicago Bulls?

The Chicago Bulls stood pat at the trade deadline for the third year in a row this season, choosing to keep their core intact. However, rumors have indicated that the Bulls plan on trying to trade Zach LaVine this summer. But where does that leave DeMar DeRozan? Will he still be on the team?

DeRozan is about to wrap up the final year of his contract with the Bulls, and the two sides didn’t work out an extension. That means he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, free to sign with any team he wants. However, he could still re-sign with the Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls Central YouTube channel recently discussed whether or not DeRozan has leverage in extension talks with the Bulls.

By not trading DeRozan, the Bulls now run the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency. And while it would allow them to move on from the current era, they still lose a lot of value.

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DeMar DeRozan has earned another NBA deal – but will it be with the Chicago Bulls?

What does he value late in his career, and how many years is he looking for in his next deal? 

Fans of the Chicago Bulls were confused when the team’s front office elected to stand pat instead of trading away players on expiring deals like Andre Drummond and DeMar DeRozan. But it seems the Bulls hope to re-sign DeRozan at least, and the veteran wing has more than earned another lucrative deal in the NBA. But what if it is not with Chicago?

To talk it over on a recent episode, the host of the “Chicago Bulls Central” podcast, Haize, broke down the dynamics at play in any return of DeRozan to Chicago next season. How much could he get in free agency? Does he even want to return to such a situation? What does he value late in his career, and how many years is he looking for in his next deal?

Most importantly, could he end up getting poached by another ball club?

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear Haize’s thoughts on the matter.

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Magic big man Mo Wagner listed as top Bulls target in free agency

Orlando Magic big man Mo Wagner was listed as a top free agency target for the Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls have been in a rut for a few seasons, yet the front office has decided not to make any significant moves. Since they added DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball in 2021, the roster has remained almost entirely stagnant while the rest of the league has either pushed forward or hit the reset button.

But since the front office seems hell-bent on competing, they should look to add some quality players in free agency who can help patch up some of the holes on the roster. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report recently wrote a list of the top free agency targets for every team.

One of the guys he mentioned for the Bulls was Mo Wagner of the Orlando Magic.

“Nikola Vučević is the only rotation-level big currently under contract for the Bulls in 2024-25, so they could certainly use some depth inside,” Bailey wrote.

“Wagner has quietly become one of the league’s better frontcourt reserves. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 21.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 65.3 percent on two-point attempts.”

Adding an energetic big like Wagner could be a big help for Chicago.

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Magic big man Mo Wagner listed as top Bulls target in free agency

Orlando Magic big man Mo Wagner was listed as a top free agency target for the Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls have been in a rut for a few seasons, yet the front office has decided not to make any significant moves. Since they added DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball in 2021, the roster has remained almost entirely stagnant while the rest of the league has either pushed forward or hit the reset button.

But since the front office seems hell-bent on competing, they should look to add some quality players in free agency who can help patch up some of the holes on the roster. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report recently wrote a list of the top free agency targets for every team.

One of the guys he mentioned for the Bulls was Mo Wagner of the Orlando Magic.

“Nikola Vučević is the only rotation-level big currently under contract for the Bulls in 2024-25, so they could certainly use some depth inside,” Bailey wrote.

“Wagner has quietly become one of the league’s better frontcourt reserves. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 21.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 65.3 percent on two-point attempts.”

Adding an energetic big like Wagner could be a big help for Chicago.

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