Bulls' Complete Free Agency Preview and Predictions Before 2024 NBA Draft
It's about time for the Chicago Bulls to put their money where their mouth is.
Literally.
The Bulls are, in the words of executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas, "thinking about winning," meaning they could look to add pieces during the 2024 NBA offseason as opposed to the wholesale subtractions so many have been waiting to see.
They could also prioritize re-signing their free agents, of which there are many. After laying out the free-agency landscape in Chicago, we'll predict where things are headed with two of their most prominent players headed to the open market.
Free Agents
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Seven different Bulls are either ticketed for free agency or have a way to get there: DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, Andre Drummond, Javonte Green, Torrey Craig, Henri Drell and Adams Sanogo.
Three of those players are slated to reach unrestricted free agency: DeRozan, Drummond and Green. Drummond feels like the biggest flight risk, but only if you buy the Bulls saying they want to re-sign DeRozan, and the star scorer saying he wants to stay. And since the general "belief around the league" is these two will get a deal done, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, most are buying it.
Williams is a restricted free agent, so Chicago has some say over how his situation plays out. It quietly ranks as one of the this summer's more fascinating subplots. The fourth overall pick in 2020, his career has underwhelmed a bit to this point, but he's also 22 years old and tools-y as heck. It wouldn't be shocking to see someone offer him a good amount more than expected, and it's hard to say how the Bulls would react.
Craig holds a $2.8 million player option that feels close to his market value. That could go either way. Finally, two-way-contract players Drell and Sanogo are restricted free agents.
Prediction: DeRozan Gets Three More Years to Stay
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It's easy to question the logic from both sides of DeRozan and the Bulls getting together on a new deal.
It feels like they're about to do exactly that, anyway.
The same low-ceiling concerns that have elicited so many of those external calls to blow up the roster still exist, but Chicago has yet to heed them, so why would it start now? And if DeRozan had a problem with the Bulls' lack of success or unclear direction, then why does he want to stick around?
All arrows point toward a re-signing, so even if we don't understand the reasons why, it makes little sense to question what we're seeing. He'll fetch a new deal from this franchise, maybe near the three-year, $100 million range.
Prediction: Someone Pays Williams More Than Chicago Wants
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Chicago will feel some obligations to bring Williams back.
Maybe it's the pot-committed angle of having invested so heavily in him. Or perhaps the Bulls still think he really can make good on those Kawhi Leonard 2.0 comparisons.
All of that said, the Bulls understand the reasons to be cautious with Williams' next contract, too. Like how his stat sheet hardly shows discernible differences in any of his four NBA seasons. Or the fact that two of those four campaigns were hugely impacted by injuries.
Other teams may not be so hesitant about those red flags, if only for the fact they didn't encounter them up-close. And all it takes is one to believe there's still time for Williams' breakout and sign him to a bloated offer sheet reflecting that belief. It's hard to say exactly how the Bulls would react, but the debates within the front office would surely be ferocious.
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