Bulls power forward Carlos Boozer has long seemed like an amnesty candidate, but there appears to be only a 50-50 chance that Chicago will use the amnesty clause to remove Boozer’s cap hit from its books this summer, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Sulia link). The Bulls aren’t certain that a top-tier free agent will become available to them this summer, and if that doesn’t happen, they’d be content to keep Boozer and let him play out the final season of his contract next year.
There’s been increasing chatter that the 2015 free agent class will turn out to be more star-laden than this summer’s crop, and it sounds like Chicago is thinking about focusing on 2015 rather than amnestying Boozer and signing second-tier free agents this summer, Kyler writes. Boozer is set to make $16.8MM in 2014/15. He’ll receive that money even if the Bulls use the amnesty clause, since the amnesty only erases a contract from a team’s ledger, rather than its actual payroll. It would make sense if cost-conscious Chicago owner Jerry Reinsdorf decides against setting himself up to pay a player who’ll no longer be on his roster.
The Bulls slipped beneath the luxury tax line with their trade of Luol Deng earlier this month, and that could make it less likely the team will amnesty Boozer, according to Kyler. Had Chicago not escaped the tax for this season, there would have been pressure to avoid what might have been a third straight taxpaying season next year. That would have triggered repeat-offender penalties for subsequent seasons. Now that it doesn’t appear the Bulls will pay the tax this year, there’s not as much motivation to avoid it in 2014/15. Including Boozer’s salary, their commitments already bring them within $13MM of the projected tax line for next season, so it will be hard for them to avoid becoming 2014/15 taxpayers without amnestying Boozer.
It makes sense to keep Boozer. They can still trade him for other assets at the trade deadline next year and he is considered off the books for the whole year. The Deng trade gave them room to maneuver. Right now we are $1 million under the cap and Kirk will be back for half of what he got, Nazr will be gone. Plus the cap is suppose to go up another $6 million. We’ll should be able to add a player or two. Maybe a young big and a combo guard(possibly from the draft).
Keep Booz & trade that expiring contract for maybe K. Love? Plus this yrs FA may all stay or have little to no intrest in coming to Chicago
Why not keep him, he is the future of this team with DROSE, start tanking and lets make a run at LeBron next year with the big three of Rose, Boozer and lebron
After this year is over, get rid of Jimmy Butler and let snell start at shooting guard, amnesty Boozer and bring in Mirotic, trade all your picks for Jabari, give D.J. a nice contract, keep Dunleavy, Taj, Cartier, “Dalm” look at this. Derrick, Tony, Noah, Nikola, and Jabari to start, Taj, DJ, Dunleavy, Cartier, and a serviceable backup center. With a coach like Thibs, sound like a title run if Derrick stays healthy
I’m happy your just a fan, and not the GM or President of the team. Trade jimmy butler and let tony snell start? Uhmm NO snell isn’t ready yet. Trade ALL of our pick for Jabari? He isn’t leaving duke after this year plus he still has to perfect his game. Why amnesty boozer when you will still have to pay him the 16mill either way. If anything boozer will be used as trade bait.
You amnesty Boozer so you can afford Mirotic, DJ, and other pieces we need, Jimmy Butler will never be an Allstar. Tony Snell shoots better already, he’s going to be an excellent defender at shooting guard. Money talks, so Jabari Parker will be available in this years draft, and if he’s not, this is going to be a the best class in draft for years to come. This is why Bulls management is loading up on draft choices. Yeah I’m glad I’m not the GM either, but I I’m a loyal Chicago fan…
A year later, Jimmy Butler made me eat my words, but getting rid of Boozer and adding Pau, Aaron, Mirotic and Doug has been a blessing..
It will be a mistake if they start Jimmy Butler at small forward, he’s too small. Since Deng was traded, Jimmy has been horrible on offense.