Despite not making any superstar splashes in free agency, the Chicago Bulls have taken steps towards constructing a bonafide contender.
Not many teams could feel satisfied coming off the heels of a 22-60 season and having the fourth worst record in the league. However, if the moves the Chicago Bulls have made thus far in free agency are any indication, they should be sitting rather comfortably.
All things considered, the Bulls are much better than a first look would grant. Last year’s core of Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter and Kris Dunn missed a combined 123 games due to injury. Likewise, Otto Porter only spent 15 games in a Chicago uniform. The Bulls also sported by far the league’s worst bench. As the season wore on, improving lottery odds clearly became the priority over winning basketball games.
These unforeseen circumstances hindered the Chicago Bulls all year long, leaving the impression that the current rendition of this team is hopeless. That simply isn’t true. At the same time, they’re a long ways off from contending; an offseason of calculated moves was always going to be vital when it comes to building a perennial contender.
Here’s a list encapsulating their free agent acquisitions thus far:
- Thaddeus Young: 3 years, $41 million
- Tomas Satoransky: 3 years, $30 million
- Ryan Arcidiacono: 3 years, $9 million
- Luke Kornet: 2 years, salary to be determined
The Bulls were simply never going to be in play for this summer’s crop of free agent superstars. If it was ever on the table, that possibility was removed the instant Chicago dealt for Porter Jr at the trade deadline. In the very small sample size we’ve seen of him, Otto is a perfect complementary player that will get the best out of the Bulls’ young core moving forward.
It appears John Paxson and Gar Forman learned something from that trade, in that high character locker room leaders are essential towards building a winning team.
Adding these positive presences becomes all the more crucial considering the mutiny the Bulls reportedly nearly staged in the season. This chain of events was cataclysmic for the team’s chemistry and made it even more difficult for newly appointed coach Jim Boylen to establish a rapport with his team.
Chicago got started off on the right foot addressing these issues by adding Thaddeus Young, who was a finalist for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award last year. Young earned the league’s respect last season by picking the Pacers up after Victor Oladipo went down with injury and being one of the few players in the league capable of effectively defending Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Tomas Satoransky played a similar role for the Washington Wizards as Ryan Arcidiacono did for the Bulls last year. This tandem of hustle players will help set the stage for Chicago’s culture next year and will provide a healthy dose of competition for rookie Coby White moving forward.
The best part of these moves however, is the financial flexibility it provides moving forward. Next year’s weak crop of free agents has been well documented, but 2021 is a different story. If things hold form, the Chicago Bulls would enter free agency with $33 million to spend and a core of Markkanen, LaVine, Carter, White, Young, Satoransky, Chandler Hutchison, Arcidiacono and Daniel Gafford.
With Porter and Cris Felicio’s deals off the books, plenty of room to maneuever for free agents like Antetokounmpo, Paul George, Bradley Beal, Blake Griffin and more becomes available. Seriously, just look at this projected list of free agent stars.
Young and Satoransky are also respected veterans on highly movable deals, which could potentially be dealt in their final year to bring back Porter Jr or other up and coming players.
Much like the Brooklyn Nets this year, the Chicago Bulls will be in position to continue developing their promising core until they roll the dice in free agency to officially be elevated to contender status. If fortune falls in our favor, it might be time to put your tin foil hats on and start praying for Giannis to one day make the short trip from Milwaukeee to Chicago.