NBA analyst suggests the Bulls make a blockbuster signing of Chris Paul this offseason. Here’s why originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
Vice President Artūras Karnišovas and the Bulls‘The front office faces a number of questions as it approaches a crucial offseason.
Should/will they re-sign DeMar DeRozan? Will they pull the trigger on a trade to send Zach LaVine away? How will they approach Patrick Williams’ pending free agency?
Above all, Lonzo Ball projects it will be available for the team’s first regular season game after missing over 2.5 years due to three separate knee surgeries since January 2022.
To help resolve the Bulls’ offseason dilemmas, ESPN’s NBA writer Chris Herring suggests the team make a splash in free agency.
“Even if Ball is able to return now that he’s had a meniscus transplant, Chicago is going to need a bench setter, either to serve as a starter while Ball adjusts to things or to replace him and play decent minutes.” He wrote. “And who better to do that than [Chris] Paul, who, even though he’s almost 40, is still a solid offensive player.”
Herring’s argument is justified; the Bulls don’t have a true half-court organizer. That used to be Ball, who could organize the court from half court to full court. But even if he returns to the court for the Bulls’ first game, there’s no guarantee he’ll be the same player.
The Bulls could find that in Paul, who is arguably one of the smartest players to ever play the game of basketball. He is known for his exceptional IQ and facilitation skills. He would be a strong addition to any NBA team, but especially the Bulls, who don’t have a strong facilitator.
With the Warriors last season, Paul came off the bench, starting only 18 of the 58 games he played for the team. This could motivate the team to release him before June 28 to avoid paying the $30 million he is expected to earn this season.
But the Bulls, as mentioned above, have a lot of questions to answer before exploring new additions. Their decisions for DeRozan, LaVine and Williams will dictate whether or not they have the flexibility to make big additions in free agency this summer.
If they bring all three back, they will undoubtedly not have space to sign a player of Paul’s caliber. But if they — for some reason — cut all three players, their cap space will increase dramatically enough for them to sign a key player in the offseason.
The question is — what direction do the Bulls intend to go? They have been trying to have a competitive window since 2021, when the Bulls acquired Ball, DeRozan, Alex Caruso in the summer and Nikola Vucevic at the previous trade deadline. But after missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons, Karnišovas admitted changes are on the horizon.
“I’ve said countless times today: This group, something doesn’t work,” he said in April. “I have to find ways to find a group that will make improvements. We’ve been doing this for a few years and it hasn’t worked,” said Karnišovas.
“I will look at the entire group. This group didn’t work. There are a lot of good things about some individual players and a lot of young people who have taken a step forward and that is positive. But in total, as a group, it didn’t work. So I’m going to have to find those answers in the offseason.”
