The Bulls picked up wins 20 and 21 over the last 3 days, slowly coaxing the more desperate members of the fan base off of the ledges they were camping on. Are the playoffs a sure thing this season? Decidedly not, but one way to really insure the Bulls are competing for the post season on an annual basis would be to find a reliable point guard. Without a first round draft pick this offseason (for now), it makes sense that the Round Table would turn to Free Agency to fill that need. Let’s help Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley out, and find one for them! It’s time for…
The RokDeez Bulls Blog “It’s Way Too Early To Be Thinking About Finding A Point Guard In Free Agency” Guide To Finding A Point Guard In Free Agency, 2021.
A normal blog would do the important research, figuring out how to manipulate the salary cap into allowing the Bulls to sign the best free agent they can afford. Well I’m not a “Capoligist,” and it’s certainly not my money I’m about to pretend to spend, so with that in mind, here is my list of guys the Reinsdorfs should throw money at this offseason (in no particular order):
Lonzo Ball… will be a restricted free agent this offseason, meaning the New Orleans Pelicans will have the right to match any offer made to him. Besides from his considerable passing skill, the main reason I would want to sign Ball is that his size and defense would compliment Zach LaVine. Also, Ball should be get-able with a little creative book keeping by the Bulls, and/or a sign-and-trade.
Spencer Dinwiddie… Once spurned by GarPax in favor of Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams, could the Round Table lure this much more talented point guard back to Chicago? Possibly, but Dinwiddie is one of the main reasons the Brooklyn Nets were able to sign KD, Kyrie, and trade for James Harden. I’m not sure he’ll want to exercise his player option and leave the Juggernaut of the Eastern Conference, only to re-sign with a team that cut him in favor of a clearly less talented nephew of a legend.
Kyle Lowry… is in the twilight of his career, but the dude can still compete. He is tough, tenacious, and knows what it takes to win championships. He would be a perfect veteran leader for a team that wants to compete for titles.
Devonte’ Graham… is my favorite choice out of all of these guys. He’s very talented, with a ton of potential, and a restricted free agent on a team that just drafted LaMelo Ball. I kinda, sorta, want the Bulls to get this guy. I don’t know if he gets them any closer to winning a championship, but he might, and he would be a great third scoring option.
Dennis Schroder… is the defensive yang to Zach LaVine’s offensive yin. Not only would this unrestricted free agent be a great compliment to the lineup, he might actually be “cheap” enough for the Bulls to afford.
Victor Oladipo… has dealt with significant injuries over the last few seasons and is no longer the same player that made 2 All-Star appearances for the Indiana Pacers. That being said, he is still a very good 2-way basketball player with the ability to hit game winning shots, and who has a wealth of playoff experience. At 28 years old, he is the perfect age to bridge the gap between LaVine and his former teammate with the Orlando Magic, Nikola Vucevic.
Chris Paul… is a hall of fame point guard that has a long track record of making his teammates better basketball players. He is also ancient. Even so, if he opts out of his contract, Karnisovas and Eversley should absolutely sit down with him and see if he’s interested in playing in Chicago.
Demar Derozan… is kind of an out of the box pick as a lead guard candidate. For the majority of his career in Toronto with the Raptors, he had a reputation as a 2-way scoring guard, but over his stint as a San Antonio Spur, Derozan has morphed into more of a facilitator. His assists are up, his ball handling has improved, and he would be an intriguing back court running mate for LaVine. Trust me, it’s neither the craziest nor the worst option out there in free agency.
That’s it for this post. I just wanted to throw some names at the wall and see if any of them stick. Let me know in the comments if you have a player you think the Bulls should target in free agency. It’s true the Bulls have greatly improved since the trade deadline, but they have a ways to go before they are truly ready to compete for a championship. Signing a solid point guard this offseason will go a long way toward getting to the top of the NBA heap.
Until they do, thanks for reading and GO BULLS!
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