Bulls Rumors: Shopping Rip Hamilton Won't Help to Improve Roster
Chicago Bulls fans should stop getting excited about any available shooting guards. It has become clear that the Bulls aren't signing any of the seemingly obvious fits for the team.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reported the Bulls were shopping Richard Hamilton:
"Bulls have shopped Richard Hamilton’s expiring $5 million deal, which carries a mere $1 million guarantee for 2013-14. Thus far, there have been no takers.
"
Depending on what the team received in return, it could make room, physically and monetarily, for an upgrade at the shooting guard.
The problem is that every shooting guard the Bulls showed interest in decided to sign elsewhere. The most recent example is O.J. Mayo, who agreed to terms with the Dallas Mavericks, per Jeff Caplan of ESPN.
Before that it was Gerald Green stiffing the Bulls for their Central Division rivals, the Indiana Pacers. Before you get all excited about the Bulls chances of inking Courtney Lee, let this marinate in your brain for a second.
Lee has all but stated he wants to play for Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.
I almost forgot, the Bulls did come to an agreement with Kirk Hinrich, whom I love. That information came from Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago.
But if I'm being honest, which I always try to be, Captain Kirk doesn't make that big of an impact on the Bulls' bottom line. It completely symbolizes the Bulls free agent predicament.
They are forced or choose to shop at the pawn shop, while others get the goods from major department stores.
Why is it that most coveted free agents treat the Bulls as if they have leprosy? Are the Bulls low-balling players financially? Does Chicago and its front office have a poor reputation amongst players?
Are players turned off because Derrick Rose won't actively try to recruit them?
Maybe it's a combination of those things, but at the end of the day—or offseason—the Bulls seem destined to trot the same team out on the court next year.
That is, with the exception of Marquis Teague, Kirk Hinrich and a few other nondescript roster-fillers.
The worse part about this is that the Bulls will still have a successful season approaching things this way. Tom Thibodeau's style and the Bulls' current talent will make sure the Bulls are decent while Derrick Rose recovers from injury.
When he comes back and is at full strength, the Bulls will be even better. But that still isn't good enough.
The front office and some blind die-hards will argue that the Bulls haven't had a shot with their roster healthy.
Because that is the belief, and it's a somewhat logical argument, many people will buy in. I believe this team and its front office are stuck at this semi-successful level.
Considering the Bulls front office's inability to sign top notch free agents, imagine where the team would be if they hadn't lucked out and won the lottery in 2008?
Derrick Rose saved this franchise and took it to its current level. It's becoming apparent the team is going to need another stroke of luck if it is going to take the next step.
Follow Brian Mazique and Franchiseplay for reactions, analysis and news from the world of sports and sports video games
