Chicago Bulls Free Agency: Up To The Minute!

Oct 31, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson (left) and general manager Gar Forman (right) chat prior to a game against the Sacramento Kings at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Well Pippen Peoples, can we say that the Chicago Bulls free agency period has been just as exciting if not more than last season? First there was the Carmelo Anthony saga. Then the will he or won’t he go with Carlos Boozer. If that was not enough, the signing of Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic. There has been so much going on lately, it’s easy to forget about the summer leagues that are currently going on. Let’s slow down a moment and reflect on what the Chicago Bulls have done this offseason.

The Chicago Bulls draft Doug McDermott.

Here’s the point when the Chicago Bulls front office started to show their method to the madness so to speak. Jerry Reinsdorf gave them a budget to work with this offseason and they knew drafting two rookies with guaranteed contracts was not a part of the grand scheme of things. So they collaborated on a deal with the Denver Nuggets to move up and draft Doug McDermott. McDermott along with Nik Stauskas was considered the top shooter in the draft. If he’s not the top shooter, he’s definitely the top scorer.

On draft night, the  Bulls took care of two issues. They drafted for need with McDermott who watches his  shots go into the basket more often than not. Plus the Bulls created more financial flexibility to make more moves. It did come with a little bit of a price. The Nuggets added Anthony Randolph in the deal but the Bulls traded him out-of-town weeks later to the Orlando Magic.

Carmelo Anthony did not come to Chicago.

Let’s forget the fact I’m a Knicks fan. If you are honest with yourselves. Carmelo Anthony was not going to come to Chicago. If you need all of my reasons, you can look all over the website. Anything that has Carmelo Anthony’s picture on it click on it. If you read it and reflect back. It was never going to happen. More importantly, it wouldn’t have worked.

In my opinion, the Bulls knew Carmelo Anthony wasn’t coming. It was too much of a struggle. Even if he had taken that huge pay cut. If Anthony had come to Chicago, the team would have taken a step back. Trust me. If he comes to town, core players would have had to leave to make room for him. Now the Bulls have kept Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, and Mike Dunleavy. Players that would have had to be included to make a major deal. Everyone  talks about trades. The only thing is other teams have to want to  trade WITH you. If you don’t give, you don’t get. That’s how it is in America. When Carmelo Anthony said no, the Bulls pulled off a steal of a deal and signed…

Pau Gasol for a box of Newports and Puma sweats.

Yeah, I can hear some of you now. The Bulls gave him a three-year deal at $22 million. Well Gasol made $19 million last year alone! Outside  of  LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, the  Bulls might have made the best signing of the free agency period. Even at 34 years of age, Gasol is one of the most skilled big men in the NBA. He is the total package. He can score, rebound and pass the ball efficiently. The inside out game with Joakim Noah will cause major matchup problems for teams because both guys are  willing passers. That being said he is a definite upgrade over Carlos Boozer who’s gone because…

His $16.8 million dollar contract is off the books.

BOOZER’S GONE PIPPEN PEOPLES! HE GONE! Sorry, I had a moment. I’m back now. Even though Carlos Boozer brought a lot of fun for me to the website. That contract was not conducive to the goals that the Bulls front office had set. The only thing that could have  saved Boozer was Jerry Reinsdorf not cutting a check to watch him leave. He wasn’t going to pay the luxury tax so off Boozer goes to Los Angeles. Cheer up Jerry, now you don’t even have to pay the full $16.8 million. Reportedly the Lakers outbid the other teams with $3.25 million for his services so subtract that from the total. You still got a serious bill but we can’t have everything right?

FINALLY…FINALLY…FINALLY! Nikola Mirotic CAN COME TO CHICAGO!

Personally, I really don’t care at this point how the Bulls got him here. Just that they got him here. I was getting tired of  hearing the rumors and mythical stories. I saw Mirotic play a couple of games on NBA TV and I still can’t get a read. YouTube is a waste because all you are going to see is highlights. Boy it’s going to  be fun watching this dude this year. The Bulls signed Mirotic to a three-year $17 million dollar deal. They can offer up $600,000 now to buy Mirotic out and stretch the rest of the payments to Real Madrid. I’ll give the Bulls front office some credit, they can work this. By the time that bill is totally paid off, the national debt will be gone.

Kirk Hinrich was signed to a two-year deal.

Boy this signing caused a ruckus. I hated it and the staff had no problem with it. Like I said before. Pippen Ain’t Easy keeps it real with their opinions. My thing with the contract is this.

Why give the man the player option? I’m not particularly fond of  Hinrich now. How about two years later? I still don’t think other teams would have given Hinrich $5.6 million over two years. Why not wait? The Bulls will be on the hook to pay an even slower Hinrich that is obviously on the decline.

I’m not sure that D.J. Augustin got the first right of refusal (my guess is that he didn’t) but if he did not, that makes no sense. D.J. Augustin is younger and was adapting to the team concept very well. However, being a Tom Thibodeau and Derrick Rose favorite doesn’t hurt.

The Bulls sign Aaron Brooks.

Then the Bulls remind me that they have a clue. The Bulls sign Aaron Brooks to a one year deal at the veteran’s minimum. The front office used the financial flexibility by letting Augustin and flipped it for Aaron Brooks who can create and score the basketball. All of this was done on the cheap.

Keep it locked to Pippen Ain’t Easy for all of your Chicago Bulls free agency news. Somehow I have a feeling that the Bulls are not done yet.