The Chicago Bulls' offseason will undoubtedly revolve around Josh Giddey. The 22-year-old guard came over a season ago via a trade that sent All-NBA Defender Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Giddey didn't necessarily have the best start to his Chicago career. Nonetheless, he broke out in a big way after the trade deadline. The 6-foot-8 guard averaged 20.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 8.5 assists following the February 6 deadline.
After an impressive end to his fourth campaign, the Bulls will have to shell out an exorbitant sum to retain Giddey. While there isn't likely to be a bidding war for the restricted free agent, only one other team can make a reasonable offer, the going rate for a starting point guard is upwards of $30 million per annum.
The Bulls' only free agents besides Giddey are Tre Jones, Talen Horton-Tucker, Jevon Carter, and two-way signees E.J. Liddell, Emanuel Miller, and Jahmir Young. However, Carter has a $6.8 million player option to pick up. Thus, he's given to make his return to Chi-Town, considering his diminished role, it's not plausible for the 29-year-old to earn north of the veteran's minimum.
Giddey will surely be suiting up for the Bulls next season and beyond. However, the same cannot be said of Chicago's other free agents. The Bulls lack an abundance of salary cap space, and with Giddey set to sign a $30 million pact, the Bulls will only have their non-tax midlevel, biannual, and second-round pick exceptions. Therefore, bringing back Jones, Horton-Tucker, and Carter is unjustifiable.
3 Bulls the front office cannot justify bringing back
3. Jevon Carter
Carter will return to Chicago next season, unlike the Bulls' other two pending free agents. That is, unless the Bulls release the 3-and-D guard during the offseason. Yet, if Chicago waives the veteran guard, they'll be obligated to pay the remaining $6.8 million on Carter's contract.
Fortunately, as part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement's stretch provision, the Bulls can waive Carter and pay out his contract over the next three seasons, saving roughly $4 million in salary cap space. Although not substantial, clearing the books of a player who appeared in only 36 games a season ago is rational.
Carter proved a reliable veteran, yet his three-point shot has disappeared since signing his three-year pact with Chicago in 2023. The West Virginia product has converted 33.0 percent of his threes as a Bull, a far cry from the 42.1 percent he drained in his last season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
2. Talen Horton-Tucker
Next up, the 24-year-old hometown kid, Horton-Tucker. The 6-foot-4 guard appeared in 58 games last season and averaged 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. It was Horton-Tucker's first season since 2020-21 not to average 10.0 or more points per contest.
As evidenced by Horton-Tucker's scoring numbers, he's a standout, three-level scorer. Nonetheless, that's the former Iowa State Cyclone's lone redeeming quality. He's displayed some rebounding and passing abilities, yet he's never fully put it all together—305 games into his career.
While he's a capable scorer, Horton-Tucker has lacked efficiency. The 24-year-old is a career 42.7 percent field goal shooter and 29.9 percent three-point marksman. There's no room for a subpar perimeter shooter on a team loaded in the backcourt with offensive-minded players.
1. Tre Jones
Lastly, Jones is a player whom the Bulls should at least engage in contract talks. The former San Antonio Spur averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 18 games with the Bulls. Jones moonlighted as a starter in the wake of injuries and upped his averages to 14.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists.
Unfortunately for Jones and the Bulls, his season ended prematurely with a midfoot sprain in March. On the bright side, the injury isn't expected to be anything serious. Thus, the 6-foot-1 guard will be ready for next season.
A Jones-Chicago reunion is warranted, but not for almost $10 million—the price of his previous contract. It's not likely the 25-year-old will command much more than the veteran's minimum, but that's not a sum Chicago should shell out to a fifth-guard. That money should be used elsewhere, on either a wing or a big.