Chicago Bulls: 3 free agent targets to watch in Conference Finals

3) Chicago Bulls free agent targets in the conference finals: Jae Crowder

The Heat could be a team that most Bulls fans find a rooting interest in for the remainder of these playoffs. Former Bulls star shooting guard/small forward Jimmy Butler is spearheading a legitimate surprise playoff run in the East. And he’s already led the Heat past reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in a five-game second round upset.

A key piece to the Heat supporting cast that is a looming free agent is veteran small forward Jae Cowder. The former Memphis Grizzlies and Celtics wing is putting together a career year in terms of shooting numbers since he landed with the Heat earlier this season. During the 2019-20 regular season between the Grizzlies and Heat, Crowder played in 65 games (53 of which he started).

He averaged 10.5 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks. Crowder shot 40.1 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 77.6 percent from the free-throw line for the season as a whole. But he caught fire shooting from the field in the 20 games he played after landing with the Heat. He shot 48.2 percent from the field and 44.5 percent from beyond the arc after landing with the Heat earlier this year.

Crowder was really good for the Heat at different points of their playoff run so far too. He’s averaged 12.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.8 steals, while shooting 42.2 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc in the playoffs so far.

Given the wing depth need that the Bulls have for this offseason, they could address it in a big way behind small forward Otto Porter Jr. if they were able to sign Crowder.