20 Ideal Free Agents to Put Alongside Derrick Rose

Despite a regular season where they had the league's best record at 62-20, the NBA playoffs showed that the Chicago Bulls were still one more piece away from a championship.

The Bulls have the league MVP in Derrick Rose and if he is going to lead the Bulls to the promised land, he needs help. Featuring one of the deepest rosters in the league with quality players in Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and a deep bench that includes young talents such as Taj Gibson and Omer Asik, the Bulls are still looking for that final piece of the puzzle that will lead them to their first championship since the Jordan days.

While there are only a handful of players that the Bulls truly have their eyes on, here are 20 free agents that could be interesting running mates with Derrick Rose.

20. Brian Scalabrine

Last season the United Center was filled with chants of "Scal-A-Brin-E" as games wore down and the Bulls had a sizable lead. Always a fan favorite, Brian Scalabrine is an unrestricted free agent and may not be a member of the Chicago Bulls next season.

Scalabrine is not the player that will get the Bulls the statistics that they need to win a championship, but he brings his value in the locker room. The Bulls had a successful season because they had a group of guys that got along, trusted one another and enjoyed playing together and Scalabrine is one of the main reasons why.

Scalabrine's knowledge for the game makes him basically like another coach on the bench for the Bulls. Chicago fans would love to see the Bulls re-sign Scalabrine, but realistically Scalabrine will be trying to get a deal overseas as long as the lockout lasts.

19. Tracy McGrady

In the early 2000s, it looked like the Bulls were going to sign Tracy McGrady from free agency, but an agreement was not made and McGrady and the Bulls went opposite ways. Last summer, it appeared like it was McGrady's destiny to become a Bull, but his unwillingness to come off the bench resulted in, yet again, the two sides not seeing eye to eye.

After a dismal season in which he averaged only eight points per game for the Detroit Pistons, McGrady is a free agent once again and a possibility for the Chicago Bulls.

If McGrady could somehow get back to his form of old, the former All-Star would be a great running mate for Derrick Rose. The problem is that McGrady returning to his old ways is a big stretch.

Expect the Bulls to look at McGrady during free agency, but not be willing to spend too much money for an older, injury prone shooting guard.

18. Jose Juan Barea

An interesting idea for the Bulls would be to take a shot at point guard Jose Juan Barea. Barea was a pivotal contributor for last season's NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.

Barea is the type of player that can get into the lane at will and is a terror for opposing defenses. Outside of Derrick Rose, the Bulls do not have another player on the roster that can create his own shot off the dribble, which makes Barea an intriguing idea.

With an aging Jason Kidd on the Maverick roster, it would be a safe bet to see the Mavericks try and lock up Barea as their point guard for the next several years.

17. David West

West has quietly had a great eight year career with the New Orleans Hornets. Averaging over 16 points per game and almost 50 percent shooting for his career, West could be a post threat that the Bulls have lacked.

While Carlos Boozer struggled for the Bulls last postseason, they have too much money invested into him to go after a guy like West. Unless the Bulls trade one or two of the big men currently on their roster, West will be merely another low-post scorer that the Bulls have passed on.

16. Daequan Cook

Daequan Cook is one of the guys that is ready to shoot the minute he walks in the gym. A career 37 percent shooter from long range, Cook could fit in nicely with Derrick Rose who could create a lot of open jumps shots for him.

The problem with Cook is that he has been injury prone throughout his NBA career. Cook has only played in 88 games the past two seasons due to injury and that may not be the type of risk that the Bulls are looking for.

Even though you can never surround your superstar with enough shooters, Daequan Cook will sign somewhere, but it won't be with the Bulls.

15. Delonte West

Despite his off-the-court legal problems, Delonte West has proved during his NBA career that he knows how to score. One of his main problems is that he is greatly undersized to be a shooting guard at only 6'3''.

West will continue to bounce around to different teams because he can be a solid bench player that can come in and get your team a few quick buckets.

West is a wild card and a big risk for the Bulls to take. Expect the Bulls to consider signing Delonte West, but then quickly look the other way.

14. Tayshaun Prince

An interesting player for the Bulls to consider this offseason is small forward Tayshaun Prince. After spending his entire nine year career with the Detroit Pistons, Prince is an unrestricted free agent and looking for a new contract.

Prince is the type of player that Tom Thibodeau would love to have on his team: a hard worker that loves to defend. A key player on the Pistons 2004-2005 NBA Championship team, Prince is a proven winner and a the type of veteran that would be great around a young team like the Bulls.

The Bulls lack a solid backup to Luol Deng at small forward, which resulted in them picking Jimmy Butler from Marquette this season in the draft. If Butler does not look as if he will pan out for the Bulls, look for Prince to be a name that may come up.

13. Anthony Parker

Anthony Parker is another name that has surfaced the past few seasons for the Chicago Bulls. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, it would appear like a good fit for Parker to return home to play with the Bulls.

Parker is a solid shooter and very good perimeter defender. Parker is a career 41 percent shooter from three-point range and is another guy that could help Derrick Rose spread the floor.

The problem with Parker is he is a "catch-and-shoot" guy and Chicago needs a guy that will be able to create his own shots to take the pressure away from Rose.

12. Marcus Thornton

For those of you that have not heard of Marcus Thornton, you may want to remember the name because this guy can score. The second year player from LSU was acquired by the Kings last season and averaged 21.3 points per game for them in 27 games.

While with New Orleans in his rookie season, Thornton emerged as a go-to scorer when All-Star point guard Chris Paul was injured. He averaged 14.5 points per game his rookie season and was named to the Second Team All-Rookie squad.

Thornton is a bit undersized, but would be a great addition alongside Derrick Rose in the Bulls backcourt. Thornton is a restricted free agent, which means acquiring him may be more difficult if the Kings have a lot of interest in him (which I would guess they do because they just traded for him).

11. Nick Young

Coming off of his best season of his short NBA career, Nick Young is another name that has surfaced for the Chicago Bulls. Young averaged 17.4 points per game for the Washington Wizards last season.

After leaving USC after his freshman season, Young has been wildly inconsistent throughout his NBA career. Young will have nights of 20 plus point games and games where he can't even score five points.

The similarities in playing styles of Young's former point guard, John Wall, show that he and Derrick Rose could be a good duo if put together. At this point in the offseason, Young is a good option for the Bulls, but they will most likely be looking for a player that scores on a more consistent basis.

10. Michael Redd

At one point in time, Michael Redd was a top five scorer in the NBA. Those times were a few years ago, but Michael Redd can still score the ball.

Redd would be a quality risk for the Bulls to take. He would be relatively cheap and a veteran scorer that could be a quality addition to a team like the Bulls.

Redd's major drawback is that he has been one of the most injury prone players in the league. Playing in a total of 61 games in the last three seasons, Redd has become a forgotten man in the NBA.

The Bulls would be taking a minor risk on signing a relatively cheap veteran in Michael Redd. If Redd can somehow find the scoring groove that he once had, the Bulls will be in good shape heading into next season.

9. Kurt Thomas

There is no way to measure the value that a veteran like Kurt Thomas brings to a young team. If at all possible, the Bulls should look to re-sign their aging big man.

When Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer were battling injuries at the beginning of last season, Thomas stepped in and played some high quality minutes. Even as the oldest player in the NBA (now that Shaq is retired), Thomas can still work the "pick and pop" with Rose and hit the 18 foot jump shot.

Another reason why the Bulls should look to sign Thomas is the chance that he gets signed by another contender in the East. If Miami went out and signed Thomas, I'm sure Derrick Rose will not be happy when he is at the receiving end of one of Thomas's hard fouls.

8. Grant Hill

Another old-timer who can still play basketball at a high level is Grant Hill. The 38-year-old small forward averaged 13.2 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting.

A quality defender and leader, Hill is still a valuable asset to a professional basketball team. As the Bulls try to surpass the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference, a veteran like Grant Hill could take the pressure off Luol Deng as he tries to guard LeBron James for an entire series.

Hill has been around the league for a long time and isn't just a veteran that brings experience, but he may just be a missing piece that could help Derrick Rose and the Bulls get back to the NBA Finals.

7. Rip Hamilton

This one is a little cheating, but going after Hamilton in a trade this off-season may be a good move to consider.

Similar to Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton has been a member of the Detroit Pistons for most of his career and was a major player in their championship team in 2004-2005.

Hamilton would be a great sidekick to Rose in the back court. He averaged 14.1 points per game in only 27 minutes per game. What is appealing in Hamilton's game is his intelligence on the court. Hamilton knows how to play the game and could help ease the pressure off Rose.

Although Hamilton averaged 14.1 points per game last year, it was one of his least efficient years of his career. Hamilton will turn 34 next season and it should be interesting to see if the Bulls think that he still has a few good years in him or if he is over the top.

6. Shannon Brown

As one of the most electrifying dunkers in the league, Shannon Brown is a guy that the Bulls should take a look at and seriously consider.

A Chicago native and Proviso East product, Brown coming home to the Bulls could be a great story, but have even better results on the court. Last season, Shannon Brown showed the league that he was not only a dunker, but he could also shoot the ball.

Brown shot almost 35 percent from long range, which was the highest total season average of his career. He also showed more confidence in his three-point shot by taking 2.6 three pointers a game.

Last season, Brown was a huge contributor for the Los Angeles Lakers and has really begun to develop a more complete game. Although Brown may seem like he has been in the league for quite some time, he is only 25 years old and could be a great asset to a team for years to come.

5. Caron Butler

In January, Butler had knee surgery and missed the remainder of the 2011 season, but he is a guy that has a lot of basketball ahead of him.

Butler has averaged just a little under 17 points per game for his career and has been a solid contributor for a number of playoff teams in his career.

The Dallas Mavericks may be inclined to let Caron Butler walk after seeing how well they could play without him while they were en route to winning an NBA Championship.

Butler can shoot, defend, rebound, shoot free throws and more importantly, create his own shot. If the Bulls are willing to take a risk on a player coming off injury, Caron Butler may be the choice they go after.

4. J.R. Smith

If the Bulls are looking for a guy that can score in bunches, J.R. Smith is the guy to go after. Smith has been one of the best bench scorers in the NBA over the past few seasons and is someone that terrorizes opposing teams when he is shooting well.

Similar to former Bulls shooting guard Ben Gordon, when J.R. Smith starts hitting jump shots, his confidence goes through the roof. J.R. Smith is a very emotional player and may not be the cool headed shooting guard that the Bulls are looking for.

Smith's scoring ability makes him a perfect candidate for the team, but the decision becomes tough when you factor in his inability to play defense. If the Bulls went out and got Smith, they would be doing it with the hopes that he would buy into Tom Thibodeau's defensive intensity.

As a Bulls fan, I wouldn't object to seeing J.R. Smith catching fire in fourth quarters next season.

3. Arron Afflalo

A guy that could very likely be on the Bulls radar this offseason is shooting guard Arron Afflalo. Afflalo fits most of the needs that the Bulls are looking for in a shooting guard: he's big, he can defend and he can score.

Afflalo is 25 years old and coming off the best season of his career. He scored 12.6 points per game on a career high 49.8 percent shooting. Afflalo would take the pressure of creating shots off Rose every possession for himself and others.

One of the reasons why Afflalo is such a big name for the Bulls is his ability to defend. Afflalo is 6'5'' and can guard almost any shooting guard in the league.

From here on out, the Bulls need to think with the mentality of: What can get us by Miami? Afflalo would be able to guard Wade very well and also offer relief on the offensive end.

2. Jason Richardson

One of the guys that the Bulls should definitely go out and pursue is Jason Richardson.

Richardson is a big shooting guard who can hit three pointers and is one of the more naturally athletic guys in the league. He can't dunk as well as he used to, but what he has lost in athleticism, he has compensated for with his jump shot.

The biggest drawback surrounding Jason Richardson will be the price. Richardson is arguably the best player on this list, which also means that he may want the most money. With the new collective bargaining agreement looming, it may be tough for the Bulls to add a guy like Richardson.

Richardson's shot making ability, defensive prowess and toughness make him a guy that the Bulls will target this offseason.

1. Jamal Crawford

He may not be able to wear No. 1 (the Bulls have a pretty decent player currently wearing that number), but a Jamal Crawford-Bulls reunion could be exactly what the Bulls need.

A former Sixth Man of the Year, Crawford knows how to succeed in a scoring role late in games. Crawford is an excellent ball-handler and probably the best player at creating his own shots on this list.

People that think Crawford shoots too much and is not what the Bulls need aren't thinking in the right way. That's exactly what the Bulls need.

The Bulls need a guy who isn't afraid to take shots, but more importantly wants to shoot. Last year, when Derrick Rose wasn't in the game, it appeared as if players were scared to take jump shots on the Bulls.

Crawford is a very good dribbler who can use his crossover to get by his defender and create scoring opportunities. The best option for a guy like Crawford at this point may be to return home to the team that drafted him: the Chicago Bulls.