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Chicago Bulls: To-Do List Heading Into 2015 Free Agency

By Shehan Jeyarajah

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The offseason is officially upon us and free agency is right around the corner. With the 2015 NBA Draft in the books, the Chicago Bulls roster is starting to take shape.

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The Bulls don’t have much money to work with in free agency, but management has dealt with constraints before. Gar Forman and John Paxson have thrived off of finding bargain options to build a contending team over the past few seasons.

That being said, the Bulls should have a clear list of priorities heading toward July 1 and the start of free agency.

1. Re-sign Jimmy Butler: The Bulls’ offseason will undoubtedly revolve around bringing back Butler. The former No. 30 overall pick exploded during his fourth year in the NBA, posting career highs in points, rebounds and assists despite playing the same minutes as 2014. Butler is a unique talent on the wing and ranks among both the top defensive and offensive players in the league.

After betting on himself during the offseason, Butler now has half a dozen teams clamoring to give him a max contract. However, Butler is a restricted free agent and the Bulls have communicated that they plan to match any contract. They will need to stay true to their word, or Chicago will be faced with replacing the best shooting guard who has played for the Bulls since some guy named Michael Jordan.

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2. Find a shooter: Fred Hoiberg took over for Tom Thibodeau in June, and with him comes a completely new offensive philosophy. Rather than relying on post passing and isolation drives, Hoiberg’s system puts an emphasis on motion and perimeter shooting. The obvious guy to bring back is Mike Dunleavy Jr. The Bulls have “Early Bird rights” on Dunleavy, so they would be able to offer him a competitive salary, despite being over the cap.

The Bulls could also look at several free agents on the market. Gary Neal has reportedly had interest, but has struggled with his stroke the past few seasons. A guy like Wayne Ellington might be able to produce more efficiently with a well-defined role.

However, the biggest addition will be from inside the organization: Doug McDermott. The Ames native will finally get a fair opportunity after being virtually redshirted by Thibodeau last offseason.

3. Bring in another backup point guard. Longtime guard Kirk Hinrich opted into his contract, but the Bulls will almost certainly be looking for an upgrade with Aaron Brooks likely leaving in free agency. Hinrich has struggled mightily with his jump shot and there is no reason to expect he produces any better than a third point guard next season.

The first obvious choice could be E’Twaun Moore. He didn’t get much opportunity last season, but the Bulls have an option for just over $1 million to bring him back. Another interesting option could be an old friend: C.J. Watson. He played two years in Chicago backing up Derrick Rose and has proven to be a consistent defender and reliable three-point shooter, two traits that have been sought after in Chicago. It will be interesting to see what his market value is. Rodney Stuckey is another player who has been rumored, although he has less true point guard potential.

4. Explore the trade market. The Bulls probably won’t find a trade partner for either Joakim Noah or Taj Gibson, so checking the trade market should be a final move. Both players are struggling through injuries at the moment and have all-time low trade values. That being said, it never hurts to gauge the market. Noah is an expiring contract and Gibson is on a value deal if he is able to bounce back next season.

But if there aren’t beneficial deals out there, Chicago should not rush into a trade. Despite a disappointing loss to Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Bulls are not that far away.

If a timeout gets called differently, if Pau Gasol doesn’t get hurt, Chicago is potentially in the NBA Finals. It’s too early to blow everything up before you know what you have under Hoiberg.

Next: Report: Jimmy Butler to be offered maximum qualifying offer from Bulls

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