NBA Free Agents 2011: 5 Guys Who Can Be the Chicago Bulls' 6th Man

Now that the initial rush of free agency is over and the Bulls appear to have locked up Richard Hamilton, what else are the Bulls lacking?

How about a player to come off the bench and provide some offense?

Since Ben Gordon insisted on being a starter, after his rookie season, the Bulls have lacked any real firepower coming off the bench. Sure, they have had some decent players over the years, but no one who made an impact like Gordon or Toni Kukoc.

Thankfully for the Bulls, there are still some guys available who might give Coach Thibodeau a little pop off the bench.

What is currently unclear is how much more the Bulls have to offer anyone since Hamilton's deal hasn't been finalized in terms of payment yet. Some of these guys might come cheap while others might just be looking for part of or the whole mid-level exemption. 

A bonus for the Bulls is the longer these guys stay unsigned, the more likely their price may drop.

So, let's take a look at who is still available.

Josh Howard

Josh Howard is an interesting guy for the Bulls to look at.

While Howard has had some off-the-court issues as well as some problems with injuries, there is no denying his talent.

A good guy to compare Howard to is Caron Butler. Funny enough the two were basically traded for each other during the 2010 season.

Howard is a solid defender who would be able to relieve Luol Deng on tougher assignments like LeBron James.

While not a great shooter, he is able to score pretty well. For his career, he has averaged just over 15 points per game, but during the 2007-2008 season, he averaged a career-high 19.9.

Howard might not be exactly what they are looking for offensively, but the combination of his offense and defense would be a perfect fit.

Michael Redd

I have written a lot about Michael Redd the past month or so.

Redd, 32, is coming off some injury-plagued seasons but might finally be healthy.

When talking about him being the starting shooting guard, it was a big risk with a potential high reward. With him coming off the bench, there is less of a risk but the reward is still just as big.

Redd, unlike Kyle Korver, can create his own shot while also being a deadly three-point shooter.

You can never have too many shooters, and due to his injury concerns, he may come very cheaply.

Gilbert Arenas

Here is where it gets a little interesting.

Gilbert Arenas was one of the few players released using the amnesty clause in the new CBA.

Arenas is still owed over $60 million from the Orlando Magic, so he might be willing to sign for the veteran minimum.

While not a great locker room guy, he could provide exactly the offensive punch the Bulls lack.

At 6'4" and the ability to play either guard spot, he could be an ideal fit given his scoring ability.

Arenas desperately needs to prove to the rest of the league that he can stay healthy and be a team player. There is probably no better place for him than in Chicago, and the price might just be right for the Bulls. 

Andrei Kirilenko

Imagine if Toni Kukoc was a lockdown defensive player.

Well, that is exactly what the Bulls would be getting if they signed Andrei Kirilenko.

Kirilenko could be the defensive weapon that Tom Thobeau has always dreamed of.

While not a great shooter, he did shoot over 36 percent from three-point land last season and is a career 47 percent shooter from the field.

Having Kirilenko teaming with Deng would give the Bulls two great perimeter defenders. An extra bonus is that Kirilenko could also guard a lot of power forwards as well because of his unique skill set.

His price might be a little too high for the Bulls, but like I said earlier, the longer he remains unsigned, the lower that price might be.

Jamal Crawford

If you really want someone to be your sixth man, then why not go after one of the best?

How about the 2010 Sixth Man of the Year?

That is exactly what the Bulls could have if they found a way to bring back Jamal Crawford.

Crawford would be an ideal fit coming off the bench to give the "Bench Mob" a little pop. With his ability to score and also handle the ball, he would fit well with Derrick Rose and Hamilton.

The one thing Crawford doesn't do well is defend, but that is why the Bulls have guys like Ronnie Brewer and Keith Bogans.

Unlike the rest of the guys on this list, Crawford's stock has never been higher. With many of the other shooting guards off the market, he is the last one remaining. 

Common sense would say if he was willing to sign for the mid-level exemption then he would have done so already.

One thing that does play into the Bulls' hands is that he can't return to Atlanta. The Hawks have already signed Tracy McGrady to be their sixth man.

If the Bulls are able to add any of these guys, it will make them a far more dangerous team.