The Bulls are in the midst of one of the most important offseasons in recent history. They have missed the playoffs for 4 straight seasons and haven’t won over 42 games in the last 6 seasons. This team is looking to get back to relevancy in the NBA and they started that process this past season. Ahead of the trade deadline the Bulls brought in All-Star center Nikola Vucevic. This move gave the Bulls two All-Stars on the roster in Vucevic and guard Zach LaVine. Even with this move the Bulls struggled and missed the playoffs. After another disappointing season, the Bulls front office knows the time is now to improve this team.
The Bull’s biggest need is at the point guard position. Bulls guard Coby White was injured this offseason and will miss most likely the first month or so of the season. With the loss of White, it’s almost a guarantee the Bulls will make some sort of move this offseason to get a guard. Lucky for them there are quite a few veteran guards hitting the open market. While the Bulls aren’t likely to bring in a major star they could still bring in a good third piece to put the Bulls on the map again.
Bulls bring in the experienced Toronto veteran
One potential move for the Bulls would be to bring in veteran point guard Kyle Lowry. Lowry has been in the league for 15 seasons and would be a great addition alongside Vucevic and LaVine. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and he will likely get a lot of offers from contenders looking for another piece. The Bulls could sneak in and try and get Lowry through a sign and trade to ensure he can’t be plucked by another team. Lowry is a 6-time All-Star and has continued to play at a high level in Toronto. This season Lowry averaged 17.2 PPG, 43.6 %FG, 5.4 RPG, & 7.3 APG. He was one of the few bright spots in Toronto this season.
Sign & trade or free agency
Right now Toronto has very little leverage when it comes to Lowry. So if the Bulls wanted to roll the dice with them and go for the sign and trade they likely wouldn’t have to give up much. If the Bulls went this route they could throw guard Tomas Satoransky and a future protected pick Toronto’s way and I’m sure that would be enough to seal the deal. The Bulls would have some tough competition if they want to get him through free agency as a lot of teams are rumored to have interest in Lowry. Contenders like the Lakers, Heat, and Knicks have all been rumored to have an interest. If he’s the guy the Bulls want then sign & trade is the way to go.
Lowry would be an excellent piece next to LaVine and Vucevic. He would give the Bulls a legit floor general that can pass and shoot. Yes, I know he’s 35 but he can still play. Also on this Bulls team, he wouldn’t be asked to be the #1 guy. He could sit back and be the point guard this team needs and allow LaVine and Vucevic to carry the scoring load. When they are having off nights Lowry can turn it on and take over. The Bulls have played young for a long time. Bringing in a veteran leader isn’t the worst move in the world.
The Bulls add a Ball
The most talked-about potential addition to the Bulls is point guard Lonzo Ball. Even before the NBA trade deadline, there were rumors about the Bulls and Ball. Lonzo Ball is officially a restricted free agent this offseason. If the Bulls want him they certainly can go for him. Keep in mind the Pelicans can match any offer for him. However, the asking price for Ball is likely going to be high. Regardless of the price, there has been interest by the Bulls to make him the team’s next starting point guard.
Bulls are very interested in Lonzo Ball, but so are a number of other teams. New Orleans can match any offer for Lonzo since he’s a restricted free agent.
— Mark Schanowski (@MarkSchanowski) June 11, 2021
Here’s another scenario where the Bulls will be up against a lot of teams. Ball had a pretty good year and put himself in a position to cash in. Ball ended the season with 14.6 PPG, 41.4 %FG, 4.8 RPG, & 5.7 APG. He is a good point guard from the standpoint of distributing the ball and keeping the flow going. His defense is another aspect of his game that would be huge for the Bulls.
Lonzo Ball’s defense on good players:
• De’Aaron Fox – 1/5 FG (20%)
• James Harden – 2/12 FG (16%)
• Kristaps – 5/13 FG (38%)
• Kemba Walker – 4/11 FG (36%)
• SGA – 3/8 FG (37%)
• Kyrie Irving- 1/3 FG (33%)
• Devin Booker – 0/3 FG (0%)
• Eric Bledsoe – 2/8 FG (25%)— ZO 2️⃣ (@TheLonzoEra) April 21, 2020
He still has a lot of room to grow as a guard and can be a solid starter next to LaVine and Vucevic. His price tag will be high but if this front office wants him they will make it work.
The Bulls bring in Schroder
The final potential move the Bulls could make at the guard position is getting Dennis Schroder in free agency. Schroder is set to become an unrestricted free agent and spent his previous season in Los Angeles. He never quite seemed to vibe with the Lebron and AD duo out there. He is only 27 years old and still coming into his game. Schroder has shown that he can be the floor general in years past. This season he averaged 15.4 PPG, 43.7 %FG, 3.5 RPG, & 5.8 APG. He’s coming off a massive contract and will likely be looking for a lot in his next contract. This situation is similar to Lonzo Ball. There’s going to be big money thrown his way and multiple teams throwing it at him. If the Bulls want him to be their guy then they will need to sell it to him. Schroder would be another good complimentary piece. He still has room to grow and get better. His fit with the Bulls would be quite well.
The wait is on
At this stage, the fans will need to wait another month and a half before we actually get into anything free agency. NBA free agency signing officially begins on August 6th. However, teams can begin negotiations with free agents starting August 2nd. If the Bulls are going to make their move in free agency then it will likely happen as soon as the negotiation window opens. There will be plenty of rumors as we get to that point but this Bulls front office keeps things quiet. Unless it’s coming directly from the Bulls it’s hard to believe. THe Bulls know the point guard position is the most important for this team and they will certainly make a move. At this stage we just have to wait if the move will be franchise-altering or not.