There are plenty of top name free agents in the upcoming 2018 free agent class. Who should the Chicago Bulls be focusing on? Throughout a series of articles, I will work on narrowing it down.
Here are some point guards that should be on the Bulls radar.
Marcus Smart
How much trust do we have in Kris Dunn? This is the driving question that will ultimately determine whether we make a run at Marcus Smart. Smart is a dog, often receiving shots in the clutch for a 55 win Celtics squad. What really defines Smart’s game is his tenacious defense and his ‘do whatever it takes’ defensive mentality.
His diving plays inspire his teammates and pump up the home crowd. Imagine him at the Madhouse on Madison. It would be a spectacle to behold for Bulls fans.
Could Stevens be a magician? Just peruse IT’s steep fall off from a near MVP year. Did Stevens trick us into thinking Smart can run an NBA offense?
Smart is a do-it-all hybrid guard. He dropped 10 points a game, fought for 3.5 rebounds and dished 4.8 assists this prior season. His shooting is probably worse than Dunn’s, who at least showed improvement doing so this season. Smart hovered at 37% from the field which might scare away offensive oriented coach Fred Hoiberg.
He can easily defend the 1 and 2 and his defensive rating was 5th in the league and 1st for point guards.
What will his Deal Look Like?
Boston is tied up. Rozier, Tatum, and Brown will need contracts soon. It really comes down to who they value more: Rozier or Smart? The answer is most likely Rozier, who has showcased his offensive and defensive chops in the playoffs. I could see Smart teaming up with the Suns, who lack a defensive guard with Booker and Ulis garnering major minutes. I don’t really see his fit with Dunn but even if we force him off the bench, we know Smart will give 110% regardless.
Proposed contract: 4 years $50 million
Fred VanVleet
“The point guard of the future.’’ Gar Forman dubbed Cam Payne this title after we traded two actual basketball players for him. I thought the same thing, but then I watched Summer League. We lack a competent point guard off the bench. Jerian Grant is certainly not going to fill that void either.
Raptors could consider VanVleet the heir to Lowry’s throne. He is also an undersized point guard with a slow career start but with a gradual increase in minutes showed his stature does not affect his passing and shooting ability. At the same time, the organization has another backup point guard in Delon Wright so they may end up considering VanVleet expendable.
The Bulls should jump on the opportunity to snag VanVleet as a 6th man. He is creative in the pick and roll and given 36 minutes, VanVleet would put up 15.5 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds. He had an efficient 15.9 PER and the third highest plus-minus on Toronto. Hopefully, they do.
VanVleet’s defense is tremendously underrated, his defensive rating was 99.9, 4th for point guards who were available for 50 or more games. His defensive rating was 52nd in the league, acting not only as a pest but as a serious defensive stopper. He also takes care of the ball astonishingly, dishing 3.28 assists for every turnover.
What will his Deal Look Like?
After watching him tear apart the Bulls, dropping 11 and 13 points in 17 minutes I was instantly sold. After deciphering his statistics I am ready to buy. And after watching our backup point guards lose the ball every other possession, VanVleet is a necessity.
Bearing in mind that these statistics are based off a one-year sample size, some teams will be reluctant to offer him a long-term contract. Hopefully, the Raptors think highly of Wright and let VanVleet walk. I know VanVleet would look magnificent in red and white. A deal similar to what Corey Joseph garnered two summers ago could be in line for the former Wichita State star.
Proposed contract: 4 years $30 million
Dante Exum
He was referred to as the next Kobe Bryant. Scouts salivated over Dante’s tremendous potential during pre-draft workouts. He fascinated with long strides to the rim, explosiveness, and quickness unforeseen in a 6’6’’ point guard. Unfortunately, knee injuries and limited playing time have obstructed Exum from reaching his ceiling.
The Bulls have fallen in love with reach and wingspan in point guards since the departure of Tom Thibodeau. We traded Tony Snell for Michael Carter-Williams, gave significant minutes to Spencer Dinwiddie, and currently employ two lanky 6’4’’ point guards on our roster (Grant and Dunn). While Dunn is our experimental starting point guard right now, getting Exum and seeing if he can develop under guard whisperer Hoiberg may not be the worst idea.
Exum is plus 8.2 per 100 possessions on the court this season and plus 1.2 and 3.0 his first two seasons. He is a young and winning player which is something we don’t see in cheap, underrated talents like him.
Dante needs to improve his confidence from mid-range. He only shot .23% of his shots from 10-16 feet range but he shot at a 50% percent clip from that range. If he can gain the confidence and play for a team that will allow him to shoot open shots, he could flourish as an efficient offensive talent.
Dante can be dominant in transition, utilizing his long strides to get defenders on their heels. He spins or euro steps for a graceful floater or glides to the rim with relative ease. He utilized leaner shots more, shooting ⅓ of his shots at floater range. Dante improved his shooting at the rim. He shot 68% within 3 feet, shooting 55.1% last season.
What will his Deal Look Like?
Dante is starting to realize his potential on the defensive end, poking the ball away from guards who have loose handles. He can effectively guard both guard positions, allowing opponents to fire at only a 34.6% clip this season and 41.6% last season. As he gradually bulks up muscle, he will be able to defend the 3.
So while he may not be the “next Kobe Bryant,” Exum can be the next Shaun Livingston. Slicing and dicing his way to the rim and playing gritty defense, Exum can be added to the youthful foundation of the Chicago Bulls.
Unless he breaks out in the playoffs, Exum should garner a similar contract to Langston Galloway, who received a 3 year $21 million contract from the Detroit Pistons last Summer. He possesses more potential than Galloway so it should fall at a slightly higher rate. He does have injury history so don’t be surprised if he receives a “prove it” one year deal with the Jazz. Keep in mind that he is restricted so any deal we throw at him could be matched, a three-year deal could prove to be a headache for the Jazz, who might be impatient with Exum at this point.
Proposed contract: 3 years $23 million