The Chicago Bulls must address the Point Guard position head-on this offseason
The Chicago Bulls have officially put another season of underachievement and disappointment behind them. Much has been made about PG Lonzo Ball and how his unavailability has hindered the roster. The Bulls enjoyed an abundance of success while Ball was healthy in the 2021-22 season. Now that he’s been inactive for well over a calendar year, the Bulls can no longer count on him to revive the roster’s cohesiveness.
After receiving another knee surgery in March, Ball will likely be unavailable for the entire upcoming season. That leaves the Chicago Bulls at a crossroads. Do they sign a point guard to a short-term deal in hopes of Ball eventually returning to his former self? Do they cut their losses and sign their long-term point guard of the future? Do they stick with somebody they already have?
The front office certainly has its work cut out for them this offseason. Eight players are due to hit free agency, including three unrestricted free agents.
Here is a list of the Chicago Bulls upcoming Free Agents heading into the offseason. #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/gKmmXlUM3k
— Bulls Nation (@BullNationCHI) April 15, 2023
Coby White
It’s unclear who the Bulls will retain from this list at this point in the offseason. Coby White is likely to command a generous contract. Will it be from the Bulls?
Fans were thrilled with Coby’s improvement this season. His improved ball-handling and playmaking have transformed him into a true all-around point guard. Along with his undeniable ability to score and his familiarity with the team’s core, he will be a great option for the starting job.
It seems as though Coby White would be unlikely to return if not offered the starting role. Although his numbers were down, the strides he made this season were immense. It will be interesting to see if the front office decides to match any outside offers in order to retain their restricted free agent. If not, Chicago fans will have to watch yet another homegrown talent thrive in another city.
Patrick Beverly
Patrick Beverly came to his hometown Chicago Bulls after this year’s trade deadline. His defensive tenacity and leadership energized the underperforming Bulls. Unfortunately, this still wasn’t enough to propel the slumping team into the playoffs. But will Pat Bev run it back in Chicago?
On his podcast, Beverly said he is aiming to make $13-15 million per year on his next contract. His lack of offense alone serves as a good reason to avoid bringing him back at this dollar amount. Unless the Bulls can talk him down a few million, it seems as though the two sides will likely part ways.
Alex Caruso
When considering next year’s starting point guard, Alex Caruso is a safe pick, but mainly just because he’s already under contract. He’s not the most exciting option, and like Beverly, he’s not going to light up opposing teams with his offense. His defensive leadership and IQ are well-documented, and his impact on the court is certainly tangible.
If Caruso is next season’s starting point guard, it probably means the Bulls had an incredibly underwhelming offseason. Given the last two trade deadlines and last offseason, this wouldn’t be the most surprising thing. Thankfully, with 8 upcoming free agents, the front office will be forced to mix things up.
Affordable Free Agents
This year’s free agent point guard class has a handful of heavy hitters. Kyrie Irving, D’Angelo Russell, Fred VanVleet, and Russell Westbrook all had AAVs over $20 million in 2022-23. After these names, the options seemingly drop off into the Mariana Trench.
Some potential, yet underwhelming, options the Bulls may consider include Dennis Schroder, Jevon Carter, and Ish Smith. These players all had a 2022-23 AAV under $5 million. Players in this range would probably be brought aboard as prospective bench players with the opportunity to compete for the starting role.
There are few options between these low-cost players and the aforementioned high-dollar guards. That could be another reason why Coby White remains a good option.
Fred VanVleet
Unfortunately, this option might be a bit of a pipe dream. Fred VanVleet would be an incredible fit for the Bulls. VanVleet’s outside shooting and playmaking would definitely be lethal, especially when paired with Zach LaVine’s offensive arsenal. His defensive abilities are not nearly as good as Lonzo Ball’s, but he would still be a more-than-ideal replacement.
The front office would have to get aggressive (also quite financially creative) in order to obtain the Rockford native. Among the high-dollar free-agent point guards, VanVleet would seemingly be the best fit.
All things considered
The Bulls are going to have a lot of tough decisions to make this offseason. There are many different directions they can take things. Everything seems to hinge on whether they want to bring back Nikola Vucevic and Coby White and if they’re willing to deal one of their bigger trade chips.
When considering price and performance for the point guard spot, it seems Coby White makes the most sense. Between Lonzo Ball and Derrick Rose (who is also likely to enter free agency), the Bulls seem to be cursed when it comes to point guards and injuries.
Perhaps the Bulls could even look to the trade market to acquire their next starting point guard. Stay tuned to ChiCitySports.com as the offseason slowly begins to unfold.
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