NBA Free Agency: OJ Mayo and the Top 6 Shooting Guards for the Chicago Bulls

With the NBA in its current locked-out state, the trade speculation still rolls on—and with it, the speculation that the Chicago Bulls are looking to bring in someone to upgrade Keith Bogans and the shooting guard position.

They are not only looking for a shooting guard to give Derrick Rose some much-needed help in the scoring category, but they also want a player who will play defense—as the Bulls were the No. 1-rated defense in the NBA last season.

Here are OJ Mayo and the top six candidates that are surrounding the Bulls' trade speculation buzz as potential replacements for Keith Bogans and his three points per game average.

1. OJ Mayo

OJ Mayo has been linked to the Chicago Bulls ever since last year's NBA trade deadline but ultimately never made it to the Windy City.

Mayo did almost end up being traded to the Indian Pacers in a last-minute trade attempt by the Memphis Grizzlies—the deal was found to be made after the deadline had passed and did not go through.

Many Bulls fans had concerns that Mayo would disrupt the team's strong chemistry—especially after Mayo had gotten into a fight with teammate Tony Allen on a team bus in January.

Mayo played poised and helped lead his team at times during their surprisingly lengthy playoff run this past year, showing that he may have put his attitude problems aside.

Mayo would be a great addition on offense for the Bulls, as he averaged 11 points per game and has the ability to score from anywhere on the floor, which would create matchup problems with opposing guards having to guard both Mayo and Derrick Rose at the same time.

Mayo could work on his defense some, and having coach Tom Thibodeau to instill his defensive knowledge in Mayo could be what he needs to step his defensive game up to that next level.

2. Michael Redd

The Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Michael Redd is another option at the 2-guard for the Chicago Bulls to target in a trade this offseason.

Coming off back-to-back knee surgeries that saw Redd miss half of the 2009-10 season and the majority of the 2010-11 season as well, Redd played in 10 games at the end of the 2010-11 season.

With Redd being injury-prone as of late and not seeing much in-game action over the last two years, taking a chance on Redd would be a big gamble for the Bulls.

Redd at his best could mean a 20-plus points per game scorer on a team that needs all the help they can get on the scoring side. But the reality is Redd is two years older with a bad knee, and will likely score more around the 12-16 points per game range. Redd has been noted as a subpar defender, and his twice surgically repaired knee will only make him an even weaker defender.

If the Bulls can pick up Redd for a reasonable price, then taking a chance on Redd could be a smart decision by the Bulls. If Redd wants to get paid based off his past success, then the Bulls should look in a different direction.

3. Richard Hamilton

With Richard Hamilton's days as a Detroit Piston seemingly numbered, the Chicago Bulls have been talked about as one of his most likely destinations as of late.

Hamilton could be a nice fit for the Bulls for the next few seasons, but due to him being 32 years old, anything more than a four-year deal would be bad for the Bulls. So signing Hamilton to a short-term contract would be key—Hamilton is most likely looking for a long-term deal to end up somewhere to wind his career down.

Hamilton has had relatively consistent scoring numbers over the past few years, averaging at least 14 points per game a season since the 2000-01 season; the 14 points per game coming last season was down four points per game from the previous season.

Hamilton is an average defender, and would need less work on the defensive side of his game when compared to some of the other 2-guards on this list.

In all, Hamilton could fit well enough in Chicago to lift the Bulls to that next level. Add in his NBA Finals experience—he played in two NBA Finals with the Pistons, winning one NBA championship—and Hamilton would be a nice fit in the Bulls' backcourt next season.

4. Courtney Lee

Courtney Lee of the Houston Rockets is a young, versatile player that could grow into something special with the Chicago Bulls.

Lee is a 6'5" shooting guard that can be interchanged at positions for the Bulls—something that might come in handy if the Bulls and Luol Deng part ways in the next few years.

Lee would most likely be the cheapest pickup of the available targets for the Bulls; he is young enough to have his subpar defensive game tweaked and made into a solid defender after some time working with Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Lee has a career average of 9.6 points per game and has the potential to push that towards the 12-15 points a game—Lee averaged 17 points per game in college at Western Kentucky—which would be enough to fill the void that is currently plaguing the Bulls' roster at this point.

Shannon Brown

Bringing in Shannon Brown for a second call of duty with the Chicago Bulls would be a smart move on both accounts.

Brown, who currently backs up NBA star Kobe Bryant with the L.A. Lakers, would step into a starting role with the Bulls, giving Brown a bigger opportunity to showcase his basketball skills.

Brown has averaged around eight points per game the last two seasons where he has averaged around 20 minutes per game. With the added minutes that comes with being a starter, Brown's points per game would rise to the 11-14 points per game area, and having Derrick Rose in the backcourt with him would give the Bulls one of the most explosive backcourts in the NBA.

Brown is a bit undersized at 6'4" for the 2-guard spot, but his ability to sky high for spectacular dunks and keep opponents' shots at bay makes up for the size disadvantage.

Brown recently voided the final year on his contract with the Lakers, so the Bulls may very well be picking him up off of free agency rather than the trade block, but either way they get him, he can make an immediate impact.

6. JR Smith

The Denver Nuggets' JR Smith is the biggest gamble on this list of potential shooting guard pickups for the Chicago Bulls.

Smith has been known to have a bad attitude, and do things his way no matter what would work out better. To a degree, I feel he has a bad rap, as he's calmed down over the past few years.

Smith has been consistent on the court averaging 12 points per game during his seven-year NBA career. He also has averaged 37 percent from three; he shot 39 percent last season.

Smith is known to be on the lazy side on the defensive end, a trait that would not go over well with the Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Smith has great potential, and under the right coach and in the right situation, Smith could flourish, becoming a central part to the Bulls' play scheme.

Smith has experience playing with a big-time star for most of his career in Carmelo Anthony, so sharing the spotlight with Derrick Rose and Co. should be no problem.

If it comes down to the Bulls running out of options before the season gets underway, then picking up Smith would be better than just sitting on Keith Bogans for even another half a season until the trade deadline comes around again in February.