Bulls Rumors

3. What will the Bulls do with their cap space?

Even with a cap hold for LaVine on their books, the Bulls head into the 2018 offseason with the opportunity to create up to $27MM or so in cap room. That easily exceeds what most clubs around the NBA will have available, and creates an interesting opportunity for the franchise.

The Bulls aren’t just one big move away from contention, so saving that cap room until at least 2019 makes more sense for the rebuilding club. But that financial flexibility could come in handy in the short term. For instance, the Bulls could take a Nets-like approach, making a play for a young restricted free agent who could become a long-term building block — if their offer sheet is matched, they could use their cap space to acquire unwanted contracts and pick up extra picks in the process.

If the Bulls prefer not to risk eating into their 2019 cap room, a Lakers-esque approach could make more sense. A year ago, the Lakers traded for and signed players whose contracts would expire after one year, adding veterans like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brook Lopez. Having those players in the fold – along with various forms of Bird rights – will create some extra opportunities for the Lakers this coming offseason if they fall short in pursuit of their top targets.

4. Is Robin Lopez on the trade block?

The Bulls’ highest-paid player, Lopez is one veteran who will enter 2018/19 on an expiring contract. A valuable defender in the middle, Lopez would appeal to contending teams and doesn’t seem to fit the Bulls’ rebuilding timeline, so it would make sense for the club to see what it could get in a trade for the veteran center.

However, the Bulls have talked about Lopez as if he’s a key piece, with executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson referring to the big man as “an important part of our future” at season’s end. I don’t believe the Bulls would make a player like Lopez untouchable, but it sounds like they’re not eager to shop him in trade talks this summer either.

If Lopez sticks around through the offseason and remains on the Bulls’ roster as a veteran leader, the team could reconsider trade options at next winter’s deadline, or even keep him all season and then see if he fits into the club’s future plans as a free agent a year from now.

5. Will the Bulls extend Bobby Portis?

After Portis broke bones in Mirotic’s face with a punch during an October practice, there was speculation that his days in Chicago were numbered — that certainly appeared to be the preference in Mirotic’s camp. However, the Bulls’ front office didn’t see it that way, going out of its way to let Portis off the hook by suggesting to the media that Mirotic was partially responsible for instigating the altercation.

Since the incident happened behind closed doors, it’s impossible to say whether the Bulls’ portrayal was 100% accurate, but the story serves as evidence of the club’s fondness for Portis, who enjoyed a career year once he returned from his suspension (13.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG). Does the club like him enough to sign him to an extension after he becomes eligible for one on July 1? That’s less certain.

Markkanen is the Bulls’ power forward of the future, so there’s probably no urgency to get a potential backup locked up right away. The team may also be a little gun-shy after committing $32MM over four years to Cristiano Felicio last summer. And holding off on a Portis extension might allow the Bulls to better maximize their cap room in 2019, since Portis’ cap hold as a restricted free agent would be just $7.5MM. An extension in 2018 is a possibility, but I don’t think it’s likely.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Bulls financially:

Guaranteed Salary

• Robin Lopez ($14,357,750)
• Omer Asik ($11,286,516)
• Cristiano Felicio ($8,470,980)
• Lauri Markkanen ($4,536,120)
• Justin Holiday ($4,384,616)
• Kris Dunn ($4,221,000)
• Cameron Payne ($3,263,294)
• Jerian Grant ($2,639,314)
• Bobby Portis ($2,494,346)
• Denzel Valentine ($2,280,600)
  
• Total: $57,934,536
  

Player Options

• None

Team Options

• None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

• Sean Kilpatrick ($2,054,856)
• Paul Zipser ($1,544,951)¹
• Total: $3,599,807

Restricted Free Agents

• Noah Vonleh ($4,333,931 qualifying offer / $10,515,698 cap hold): Bird rights
• Zach LaVine ($4,333,931 qualifying offer / $9,606,654 cap hold): Bird rights
• David Nwaba ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
• Total: $21,822,050

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

• No. 7 overall pick ($4,403,246)
• No. 22 overall pick ($1,974,488)
• Total: $6,377,734

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $27,081,076

• Our cap projection for the Bulls includes the amount of their 10 guaranteed contracts, cap holds for their two first-round picks, and LaVine’s cap hold, since the Bulls are viewed as a near-lock to bring him back. That result in a total team salary of $73,918,924.

Footnotes:

1. Zipser’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 18.

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.