The Bulls overhauled both their front office and their coaching staff in 2020, replacing longtime basketball operations executives John Paxson and Gar Forman with Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, who in turn replaced head coach Jim Boylen with Billy Donovan.
Despite the leadership changes, the Bulls didn’t turn over many spots on a roster that went 22-43 in 2019/20, so expectations for Chicago were modest entering ’20/21 — oddsmakers projected them to win no more than 30 games.
But the team aimed higher. Firmly in the play-in mix more than halfway through the season, the Bulls’ new top decision-makers decided to take a big swing, sending a pair of future first-round picks and former lottery selection Wendell Carter to Orlando in a trade for Nikola Vucevic.
The short-term results weren’t great. The Bulls, 19-24 at the time of the trade, failed to make any headway with Vucevic on the roster, finishing the season on a 12-17 run and missing out on a play-in spot. To make matters worse, the top-four protected 2021 pick the Bulls traded to the Magic in the blockbuster deadline deal landed at No. 8.
Still, the Bulls’ front office remains confident that the Vucevic acquisition will pay dividends going forward, once the All-Star center has a full offseason and training camp to get comfortable with his new team. Chicago will enter the 2021/22 season seeking its first playoff berth since 2017.
The Bulls’ Offseason Plan:
With no first-round pick at their disposal, the Bulls will turn to free agency or the trade market to try address their point guard position, which has been an Achilles heel for the franchise since Derrick Rose‘s All-Star days.
The good news is that there’s no shortage of options available in free agency this summer — when we ranked our top 20 free agents at the start of June, seven players on our list were point guards. Some of those veterans, such as Chris Paul and Mike Conley, may end up simply returning to their current teams, but the Bulls have the cap flexibility to pursue the ones who will test the market, including perhaps Lonzo Ball, Dennis Schröder, and Spencer Dinwiddie.
The Bulls also face decisions on Lauri Markkanen, a restricted free agent, and Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky, whose salaries for 2021/22 are only partially guaranteed.
Young is a fine value at $14MM and Chicago should guarantee his contract, which would be movable even if he’s not in the team’s plans going forward. Markkanen and Satoransky seem less likely to return, though a sign-and-trade involving Markkanen is a possibility.
Finally, while Chicago doesn’t necessarily have to address the situation this offseason, LaVine’s contract is another storyline worth watching closely. He’s entering the final year of his deal and will be extension-eligible this offseason, but his maximum-salary extension (approximately $105MM over four years) is worth less than what he could expect as a free agent.
Assuming the Bulls have no plans to trade LaVine and he has no plans to accept that extension, there are two ways the situation could play out — the team could wait until he reaches free agency in 2022 to work out a new contract, or could renegotiate his 2021/22 salary in order to sign him to an extension worth more than his current four-year, $105MM max. A renegotiation, however, would require cap space that might be better spent on upgrades to the roster around LaVine.
Salary Cap Situation
Note: Our salary cap projections are based on a presumed 3% increase, which would result in a $112.4MM cap for 2021/22.
Guaranteed Salary
- Nikola Vucevic ($24,000,000)
- Zach LaVine ($19,500,000)
- Al-Farouq Aminu ($10,183,800) 1
- Patrick Williams ($7,422,000)
- Thaddeus Young ($6,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below. 2
- Coby White ($5,837,760)
- Troy Brown ($5,170,564)
- Tomas Satoransky ($5,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below. 3
- Total: $83,114,124
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- Ryan Arcidiacono ($3,000,000): Bird rights
- Total: $3,000,000
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Thaddeus Young ($8,190,000) 2
- Tomas Satoransky ($6,000,000) 3
- Total: $14,190,000
Restricted Free Agents
Lauri Markkanen ($9,026,852 qualifying offer / $20,194,524 cap hold): Bird rights- Javonte Green ($1,897,476 qualifying offer / $1,897,476 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $22,092,000
Two-Way Free Agents
Draft Picks
- No. 38 overall pick (no cap hold)
Extension-Eligible Players
- Troy Brown (rookie scale)
- Al-Farouq Aminu (veteran)
- Zach LaVine (veteran)
- Tomas Satoransky (veteran)
- Nikola Vucevic (veteran)
- Thaddeus Young (veteran)
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Cristiano Felicio ($14,305,138): Bird rights
- Daniel Theis ($9,500,000): Early Bird rights
- Denzel Valentine ($8,821,320): Bird rights
- Garrett Temple ($5,720,400): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $38,346,858
Offseason Cap Outlook
The Bulls could conceivably operate over or under the cap this offseason. For instance, if they want to guarantee Young’s salary, and perhaps re-sign free agents like Markkanen and Theis, an over-the-cap approach makes sense.
However, I expect the Bulls to seriously consider dipping below the cap instead. Even if they cut into their projected space by guaranteeing Young’s salary, they could create a little extra room under the cap by waiving and stretching Satoransky’s partial guarantee, or even by doing the same with Aminu. Clearing that cap room could be the most viable path to landing a point guard.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Room exception: $4,910,000 5
Footnotes
- Aminu exercised his player option for 2021/22.
- Young’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 2.
- Satoransky’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 2.
- Because he has been on a two-way contract with the Bulls for two seasons, Mokoka is eligible for a standard minimum-salary qualifying offer.
- This is a projected value. If the Bulls operate over the cap, they’d have the mid-level exception ($9.5MM), bi-annual exception ($3.7MM), and a trade exception ($2.5MM) available.
Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders, RealGM, and ESPN was used in the creation of this post.
Ill start.
Extend Lavine, Hes only 25. Sign PJ Tucker for toughness and defensive versatility. Let Niko 2.0 go and ruin another team’s hopes and dreams. If Conley opts out, sign him to a 2 year deal and see how this team performs with actual stability at the PG position. See what the market is for Thad Yoing and
Fat fingers got me. Like I was saying. See what the market is for Thad Young, try to get an up and coming 3 and D guy like Cam Johnson. I’m not saying Phoenix would do that deal, but someone comparable. Maybe instead of Conley, bulls sign Graham who is a RFA? Also let Denzel Valentine be shipped overseas because he has no business being in the NBA. Talent wise, this team is good enough for 7th seed if everyone is healthy. The culture is changing in Chicago with AK. Let’s hope they use this momentum and try to find a gem in the 2nd round.
105m/4 years is cheap.zach deserve it.ill love if we resign theis to.pj tucker is dog.very good defender.conley is great but i think he will stay.why would he leaves jazz for bulls?sign lonzo.sign and trade him with lauri and thad young.for 2nd round maybe we can pick scottie lewis
I mean,zach deserve more than it.sorry
Gut has Lonzo here if Pelicans pass
They need to go All in with an open ended straight and pray
They almost can’t “not gamble” the next 3 years and probably need to be able stomaching going into the tax 23 and 24 for LaVine’s birds.
Probably not an ideal model but I don’t see folding an Option after the Vu trade.
I still see Lonzo to the Knicks. I just don’t see the Bulls being more appealing to him than NY.
I agree that folding is not really an option for them, but what can you really get. Unless you can get someone to bite on a Lauri sign and trade in order to get a good fit for the team, I just don’t see this ending well for Chicago. As constructed led by Zach LaVine, I see a ceiling of a first round playoff exit for a couple of years followed by a massive rebuild.
Agreed that if New Orleans is going to let him go I think Chicago is the team who will be desperate enough to make a rich offer.
There is another route they could go though, esp if extension talks with LaVine stall.
Bring back the same group—see how LaVine and Vooch fare with a full season.
If it’s another lottery trip then try and sign and trade LaVine for draft assets next summer, and then you have Vooch on a 22m expiring going into the next season. They hit reset and cash in their chips on their 2 All Stars (who couldn’t get them into the playoffs anyway).
Yea I mean if they plan on LaVine+ and going into the tax for a couple years ya gotta land a guy this year and extend LaVine after-
This years free agency is very bleh …it’s a gamble, but I think they know trimming the fringes isn’t going to work – Might be a must as well to retain LaVine. 22 is Big for them
Hiflew- I don’t think Lonzo would pick the bright lights of NY if it’s his choice – Just a gut feeling as well, all monies near same ofc
They need to get Michel Jordan involved if they want success
I am just here to laugh at all the weak proposals that Bulls are trading LaVine. They would be completely mad to trade him. Of course I see one team’s fans think they can get LaVine for a couple of bench parts and a draft pick. LOL. No reason for Bulls to rebuild since they traded for the future already.
With Lavine having already declined an extension and getting ready to hit unrestricted free agency after the season, why would he stay?
After all, they traded for the future already, and all they got was Vuc.
He can wait it out and get a higher amount of deal next year. That is why he turned down a extension. Most players do turn down extensions wanting more money in a free agent year.
There is always the trade deadline around February or March. Obviously the Bulls won’t let LaVine just play out his contract and get nothing. IMO LaVine is an amazing offensive talent, equal to Bradley Beal. Obviously this is LaVine’s big chance at a massive contract.
The best player on a bad team is usually not as good as you think…
Exactly. Opportunity allows average players to look good simply because there are no better options and NBA teams are going to score at least 85 points a game. Someone has to get them.
agreed hiflew. dlo, cjm and dare i say, beal.
Disagree with you. Think LaVine is the same as Lillard, Beal, Mitchell etc. LaVine can’t carry a bad team all by himself. Neither could Beal. Think the Bulls should try to get lucky and add a couple of good players to what they already have. The Bulls definitely need a talented athletic interior player or two which isn’t easy to come by.
Someone on Twitter said it best: LaVine is Schrodinger’s Player. He’s exactly what [insert team] needs to add to make it to the next level, but when you ask what that team would give up, you’re greeted with “well he’s not that good” and “good stats, bad team” and “ballhog” and “not clutch” in defense of their offer of 1/2 mediocre players and a late 1st.
Don’t disagree with you guys.. I’m thinking some team with capspace will overpay and regret it within a season and a half.
He’s not garbage by any means but no way a team of him and Vuvevic fail to sniff the Eastern conference playoffs if those 2 are as good as advertised. Had a decent team around them too. He’s an efficient shooter for sure, I’d say he’s actually on the level of Paul George or CJ McCullough. Robin to a Batman. Just like Vuvevic and we see what 2 Robins get you.
If I were Philly, I wouldn’t be opposed to entertaining a trade of him for Simmons actually.
Agree with you. Why trade LaVine? Unless of course, LaVine refuses to sign an extension or new contract with the Bulls. LaVine is an amazing player. The idea is to acquire and keep the good players and dump the bad players.
Extend Zach, get anything you can for Lauri. Sign Lonzo. Keep Theiss. See what the market is for White when he’s healthy. Honestly try and sign Rose to run the second unit only if you can get Ball.
Big difference in the in-story pics. Nice uni/shoes on Vucevic; he looks Olympic somehow.
But from a distance it would all just look black. Black vs white like in most games, not much color. Silver wants more of a Euro-look… Let teams wear their color to all games, home or away, unless their colors clash, then wear something for the retailers to sell.
Oh the team… Lonzo would work there but can be overpaid at 4/$110. Dinwiddie is the ticket. Playoff ticket. Otherwise unlikely.
Dinwiddie might be a good addition, if he is healthy. I wouldn’t mind adding him and TJ McConnell and letting White be their instant offense guy. Dump Satoransky and Thad Young, get picks and a defensive wing for them if you can. See how a lineup of Vuc/Williams/Lavine/Dinwiddie/DefWing looks with White as the 6th man and McConnell running the 2nd unit with Brown and a vet min or 2. With a solid 8 or 9 man rotation, we will see how good a coach Donovan is and if this roster has any future.
Think the Bulls need interior help more than a point guard. Someone to play along side of Vucevic. An athletic mobile talented big man at the power forward position is what the Bulls need. Looking at the Bulls roster of players coming back, aside from Vucevic, there is no one unless the Bulls resign Markkanen. Maybe the Bulls can address the interior depth weakness by committee. Sign a few players for small money such as Harry Giles, Ed Davis, Hassan Whiteside, Thon Maker or some others.
It is a shame that Al-Farouq Aminu can’t recover from the knee injury that he suffered in 2019. Aminu was an excellent player at one time. The Vucevic trade would be a steal for the Bulls if Aminu could get back to being the player that he once was. Guess it won’t happen.
The Bulls desperately need a facilitator and a couple defensive minded players. They need a big that can run protect. Ball would help as both a facilitator and a solid defender.
It’s kind of annoying seeing former Bulls like Cam Payne and Bobby Portis succeed elsewhere.
former bulls to become all stars after leaving the team- brad miller, ron artest, tyson chandler, elton brand, and they drafted lamarcus aldridge and traded him right away.
OKC has the rights to Vasilije Micic a 27 year old Serbian point guard who was the Euroleague MVP this year. Why not a trade for a second round pick?
IF OKC wants more, throw in Satoransky.
Last year’s second pick, Marko Siminovic is only 21 and was stashed last year. He’s 6-11 and can play C or PF. Those are relatively cheap solutions. I would like to add another Forward since Theis is probably gone through Free Agency. If Houston takes Mobley at 2, Wood may be available with Markkanen going south in a sign and trade. I’d bring back Rose on exception money. Vucevic, Woods, Williams, Lavine, and Micic are the starting five. Add White, Siminovic, Rose, Young, Brown are the second unit.
Seems plausible, but a big bet on Euro guys who may not pan out.
Micic has already resigned with Efes
OKC has the rights to Vasilije Micic a 27 year old Serbian point guard who was the Euroleague MVP this year. Why not a trade for a second round pick?
IF OKC wants more, throw in Satoransky.
Last year’s second pick, Marko Siminovic is only 21 and was stashed last year. He’s 6-11 and can play C or PF. Those are relatively cheap solutions. I would like to add another Forward since Theis is probably gone through Free Agency. If Houston takes Mobley at 2, Wood may be available with Markkanen going south in a sign and trade. I’d bring back Rose on exception money. Vucevic, Woods, Williams, Lavine, and Micic are the starting five. Add White, Siminovic, Rose, Young, Brown are the second unit.
I’m shocked that young contract worked out I thought he would have been a salary dump by now
Yes, he was getting injured or pushed aside. When 4s got smaller, his size became better!