Gar Forman Hints At Low-Profile Free Agency For Bulls
By Cody Westerlund--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There will come a time this weekend when the casual NBA fan is taken aback. Soon after an unpredictable free agency period begins, there will be shockwaves sent across the league when no-names command several million annually, rotational players get paid like starters and good-but-not-transcendent talent cashes in with max contracts.
Indications are the Bulls won't be major players in this bonanza.
Free agency opens Thursday at 11:01 p.m. CT, and the self-proclaimed "retooling" Bulls will be mindful of the long-term plan as they also weigh the short term.
"We're going to have flexibility this summer but more importantly next summer and into the following summer," general manager Gar Forman said Monday.
That comment was notable, because to retain ample flexibility in 2017 and 2018 -- when the free-agent classes are expected to be much stronger -- would require the Bulls to refrain from committing to any long-term, big-money deals this offseason.
With big man Pau Gasol officially declining his player option Monday, the Bulls have around $25 million in cap space. That's enough to offer a max contract to most players, but 20 or so teams have just as much or more cap space, a dynamic created by the unprecedented cap jump of $24 million (from $70 million to $94 million). The demand for talent and money available will far outweigh the supply of talent, which means organizations will have to overpay for the best talent.
For some teams, that will make sense. For a Bulls team that won't be contending for a championship next season as it embarks on a new era after last week's blockbuster trade of Derrick Rose, it doesn't make as much sense.
"We've got to weigh everything that comes in front of us," Forman said.
"What we got to keep in mind is not only short term but long term and trying to put together the best plan for our team moving forward. So we've got to weigh those things as it begins. Obviously, we've got an eye this year and we've also got an eye on two, three years from now and even four, five years out as far as managing our cap and putting the best team together that we can."
The Bulls currently have 13 players under contract whom are projected to make the roster, so it's not as if they're in need of many bodies. Re-signing guard E'Twaun Moore appears to be on their to-do list, as Forman offered unsolicited praise of him in saying, "We think very highly of him." That vibe goes both ways, as Moore was appreciative of his chance to be a regular contributor and start at times last season.
Less than 48 hours before free agency opened, the Bulls hadn't yet been tied to to any of the top players in the rumor mill. So expect any additions to be of the low-profile variety.
"We're still in the process of putting our plan together," Forman said. "I think both in the frontcourt and the backcourt, we'll look at some options and see what's out there.
"I don't know that anybody knows really what to expect with the spike in the cap. I think it's going to be a pretty fluid period. With that said, we like the group we've put together. I think we're headed in the direction I talked about the other, as far as beginning to get younger and more athletic and retool this roster to a certain extent."
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for CBSChicago.com and covers the Bulls. He's also the co-host of the @LockedOnBulls podcast, which you can subscribe to on iTunes and Stitcher. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.
