5 Point Guards Chicago Bulls Could Sign for Further Insurance

The Chicago Bulls don’t have a point guard problem—not right now, anyway. But in a recent 105-87 road loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, we saw the hints of one. With Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich sitting with injuries, reserve man Aaron Brooks simply wasn’t enough.

And that’s not even taking into account that Brooks has a rich history of injury trouble himself. We all know Rose’s spotty story with his constantly crumbling body, but between Brooks and Hinrich, good health is also somewhat rare. The two have combined for just 11 years with more than 60 games played (over a collective 20 seasons as eligible professionals).

Chicago’s front office, at one point or another, could be searching for more help at the deepest position in the league. As Rose’s teammate Joakim Noah has said to reporters, the No. 1 thing we need to do about the former MVP’s health is “chill the [expletive] out,” per Tim Marchman of Deadspin. But it wouldn’t hurt to have a little extra insurance behind Rose and the Bulls’ other point guards, either.

Let’s take a look at some options they might have at bolstering their depth chart in the backcourt.

Mike James

Mark Duncan/Associated Press

Meet the new Mike James, same as the old Mike James. Like clockwork, the 39-year-old gets midseason call-ups from teams depleted by injuries. The Bulls have been that team for two of the last three seasons, fielding James for 11 games twice since 2011.

Despite a few shining moments—including his 2005-06 year with the Raptors, when he averaged 20.3 points and 5.8 assists—James is everything you imagine when the term “replacement level” is uttered. He gives you nothing more than you expect from an average point guard (but also nothing less).

James may be a bit too old for the modern NBA, but with all the time off he’s had waiting for contracts in recent years, he also has well-preserved legs. Don’t be surprised if you see him get a call from the Bulls for some duty this winter.

Sebastian Telfair

Garett Fisbeck/Associated Press

Sebastian Telfair—known affectionately to some as “Bassy”—is a former New York City legend with an NBA career that pales in comparison. A former No. 13 overall pick with the Portland Trail Blazers, Telfair has since bounced around with seven different pro teams.

Most recently, Telfair led the offense for the “zombie” edition of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had much less than half of their roster healthy for portions of November. Telfair has since been dropped by OKC, but he performed admirably during his time filling in for Russell Westbrook. Telfair averaged 8.4 points and 2.8 assists over 20.4 minutes (on a 12.12 player efficiency rating).

These numbers wouldn’t save the Bulls from the hole they’d be in without their primary point guards, but Bassy—like D.J. Augustin last year—might be able to give his team just enough to let its defense and post presence win games on certain nights.

As Bleacher Report’s R. Cory Smith notes, “It's likely that he'll find another landing spot following the release.” Maybe it will be with the Bulls.

Advanced stats courtesy of ESPN.

Toney Douglas

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

Like Telfair, Toney Douglas hasn’t had staying power on NBA rosters. The former New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat point guard is currently without a squad.

That doesn’t mean he’s terrible or anything. The NBA is undergoing a point guard renaissance, in which players who would have been in the top five at the position in any other era (see: Denver Nuggets dynamo Ty Lawson and Toronto Raptors general Kyle Lowry) struggle to catch anyone’s attention today. And many serviceable point guards fail to even stay in the league.

But, luckily for the Bulls, that also means any time they fall prey to the cruel fingers of fate, they’ve got options aplenty on the scrap heap. Douglas is a career 35-percent three-point shooter and has collected just 1.1 turnovers per game over his career. He's also a plus as an on-ball defender, which definitely sounds like a Bulls-friendly quality.

Next to Jimmy Butler’s outstanding new offensive game in the backcourt, a little bit of care-taking and floor-stretching might be all this team needs in some games.

John Lucas III

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

John Lucas III’s name should also be familiar to Bulls fans. The diminutive, 5’11” guard was a rotation player for the Bulls in the 2011-12 season, shooting 40 percent from three-point land over 14.8 minutes per game. Lucas frequently gave his team a much-needed shot in the arm, acting as the precursor to the Nate Robinson storm Chicago enjoyed in the following season.

Lucas is currently without a team, coming off stints with the Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz. Lucas’ 2013-14 season in Utah was his worst as a pro, as he shot just 33 percent from the field.

But Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau found a soft spot for Lucas when he was in town, and he could likely mold him yet again into a useful piece of the Bulls puzzle. They don’t call Thibs the point guard whisperer for nothing.

Peyton Siva

Todd Kirkland/Associated Press

The former University of Louisville sensation and NCAA champion Peyton Siva hasn’t been able to stick in the NBA. In just 24 games with the Detroit Pistons as a rookie last season, he failed to use his speed and touch to make the kind of stamp he did as an amateur (Siva shot just 32 percent from the floor).

If Siva has a future in the NBA, it probably won’t be as a starter—or even a regular rotation guy. But he has enough quickness and competitive spirit to give teams some of what they need from a point guard—especially in the right system. Siva can help out a team that’s low on its luck.

If the Bulls fit that description after the injury bug almost inevitably bites their roster again this season, Siva is a worthy new rehabilitation project for his coach. Whether or not the team could handle the developmental work Siva needs—it's already got Tony Snell, Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic in its workshop—he's got the most upside of any current free-agent point guard.

One way or another—whether it’s Siva or any of our other candidates who joins Chicago—we should keep our eyes peeled for another Bulls boot-camp stint starring one lucky marginal pro player this year.