Bulls Rumors: Free Agent and Trade Target Shooting Guards Linked to Chicago

One of the most talked-about things this offseason is going to be the Chicago Bulls' shooting guard situation.

No other team has the combination of being this good and only one player away. As a result, there are a plethora of rumors surrounding the Bulls and what they will do to solve their problem.

Plethora, for those who misunderstand the word (or don't know it at all) is a word that means "too many" as opposed to merely "many" as it is often used. It is with the correct meaning of the word that I say that there are a plethora of rumors about the shooting guard situation. 

In reality, there are a smattering of players that have real potential to end up in a Bulls uniform.

I'll briefly sketch through them and discuss the possibility of each signing. 

The Trade Options: Courtney Lee or O.J. Mayo

There are many who are pushing for a trade for O.J. Mayo or Courtney Lee. This has been discussed ad nauseum. 

It's mostly because of the fact the Bulls were shopping there before the trade deadline. 

It's not likely to happen now, though, for a very good reason. They don't have to.

There are reasons, whether the proponents like to admit it or not, that neither player is starting right now.

To acquire one of the players in question, they would have to trade Omer Asik or Taj Gibson—and they aren't going to do that. 

Argue they should if you want, but I doubt that Gar Forman is reading your comment (or my article). 

The reality is that they are too expensive in terms of player cost. These names are the most rumored in the "trade for" column, though, so I think they need to be addressed. 

Courtney Lee is a solid defender and on that end of the court, the type of player that Thibodeau would like.

On the other end, he's competent on offense but he has a problem in drawing contact. If the Bulls need a player who can take over when Rose is off, he might not be reliable.

Mayo might be reliable in that regard, but he's not a defensive-minded player. Additionally, there's the fact that come his next contract, he's probably going to want more than other free agents are going to ask for.  

Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady was better last year than the year before.

It looks like he was still "finding his legs," though, as sometimes he looked brilliant and at other times he looked bad. 

On the positive side, he can still create shots for himself, as 49 percent of his field goals last year were unassisted.

The Bulls, ideally, would be able to have a guard who could both create shots and also hit the three. 

He also showed a significant improvement on the defensive end. 

The problem with McGrady is that he only made 0.6 threes a game last year, which is significantly down.

The other problem is that it's hard to know how much of a role he played in the Detroit Mutiny. 

He might make a good backup option, but he shouldn't be at the top of the Bulls' list. 

Jason Richardson

One player who has gotten a large amount of buzz is Jason Richardson.  

Offensively, Richardson has some great positives.

He can sink the three, netting 2.4 three-pointers a game last year. Keith Bogans made at least two threes a game last season, and the Bulls were 48-10 when they made at least five three-point shots last year.

When they got more three-pointers made from the 2-guard, they were 26-3. 

When they had at least two combined three-pointers and made at least as many as their opponents, they were 48-11. 

Needless to say, having a 2-guard with a reliable three would make the Bulls an even better team. 

Richardson is not the best defender in the world because he lacks lateral quickness. However, the Bulls could hide him by having Rose or Deng switch up and defend against opponents as needed. 

Richardson might not be the best option on the table, but he is a good one. 

Caron Butler

One intriguing option that doesn't get a lot of buzz but could be an amazing signing would be Caron Butler.

First, if you combine him with Rasul Butler and Jimmy Butler one thing is for certain—the Bulls could really clean up at the wings!

I will pause now for a groan.

So what would the Bulls get in Butler? They would get a player who, at least based on his synergy numbers (.78 ppp) and his Opponent PER (10.4), is an excellent defender, whatever his "reputation" says. 

Secondly, they get a good spot-up shooter.

He makes .453 from long twos and .413 from the three. He's a spot-up shooter who made 47.2 percent of his spot ups. He also had 29 percent of his scoring come off of shots he created himself.

So that combination of being able to create his own shot and hit from deep is there. The defense is there. 

There's also the question of his knee that's there. The good news is that might drop his price. The bad news is that it might hinder him. 

Arron Afflalo

Arron Afflalo is the one player that would probably get the most positive reaction from the Chicago masses.

He has shown some ability to create his own shot, as 29 percent of his shots are unassisted. 

He can knock down the three with the best of them, hitting over 40 percent of them over the course of his career, and that's in spite of the fact that he really was horrible his first year, shooting only .208 from deep his rookie season. 

He is also probably the best defensive player of any of those who are getting rumor action.

It's not just his defense either, it's the aggressive, in-your-face pestering style of defense that he plays that would fit "hand-in-glove" with Tom Thibodeau's system. 

Afflalo would be the ideal fit, but the problem is that he's a restricted free agent.

While the Bulls can offer a mid-level exception, the danger with him is that he will be matched by Denver. During the waiting period, everyone else might get snatched up.