Chicago Bulls fans that believe that the team has a legit shot at signing Anthony Davis in free agency next offseason over the Lakers have false hope.
The illustrious 2021 free agent class includes superstar names such as Los Angeles Clippers forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis, and Milwaukee Bucks reigning MVP forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Ideally, the Chicago Bulls would at least be in the running to land one of the many starts that are set to hit the free agent market next offseason, but that usually isn’t the case for this organization.
The Bulls really have never been a true destination for star free agents. And that remained the case as long as the Reinsdorfs were the ownership of this franchise. The Bulls have remained an organization that tries to win through the development of talent, and making trades that benefit the team over the long haul.
But hopefully the recent hiring of former Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas as the next lead voice in the front office, to replace former vice president of basketball operations John Paxson, will help reverse that trend. Karnisovas turned the Nuggets into one of the better contenders in the Western Conference in recent years. And he did well to land a number of underrated free agents and trade pieces to help build up the supporting cast around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
That will likely be the same style in which he tries to build up the Bulls. But if there’s any opportunity for him to land a star next offseason in free agency, he should go all out to do that.
A name that will continue to stick out for the Bulls if they choose to pursue him in free agency next offseason is the Chicago native superstar power forward/center AD. While the thought of AD not re-signing with the Lakers and landing with the Windy City next offseason does seem far-fetched at best, maybe one day down the road it could happen. But that would be after he’s out of his prime in all likelihood.
Bulls team writer Sam Smith seems to feel the same way about the discussion in this fan base of AD landing with the team. In his “Ask Sam Mailbag” on Sep. 4, Smith opened up on the thought of AD passing on re-signing with the Lakers if they don’t get a title this year or next, and signing with the Bulls next offseason.
Here’s more on what he had to say on the matter.
"I’ve been consistent in my view this is just another of the KG-is—coming, LeBron-is-coming, J.J. Redick-is-coming fantasies that have somewhat paralyzed the fan base for two decades. Davis can opt out of his contract this summer, though the Bulls have no salary cap room until after next season to pursue a free agent. I’m fairly sure the Lakers aren’t into any sign and trades. Davis can opt in for another season, opt out and sign a new supermax deal, sign a short team deal and then more in a few years when the salary cap stabilizes as fans return to arenas."
Smith makes a valid point that the Bulls getting players like LeBron James, JJ Redick, and/or Davis to join the team is usually far-fetched and doesn’t work out. That is likely to be the case again with anyone that has hope that they will get the Chicago native Davis to join the Bulls next offseason.
Davis and the top-seeded Lakers are currently battling superstar guard James Harden and the four-seed Houston Rockets in the second round of the playoffs. They worked through the eight-seed Portland Trail Blazers in a five-game series win in the first round of the playoffs.