Chicago Bulls: Should They Just Amnesty Carlos Boozer?

Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com

The Chicago Bulls are first in the Central Division in spite of the absence of Derrick Rose. They should be credited for a great squad due to the work of coach Tom Thibodeau. However, there is one looming question.

That question is Carlos Boozer. Fans have scrutinized the power forward during his tenure with the Bulls for his inconsistency. Should the Bulls just amnesty Boozer?

Each NBA team is allowed to “amnesty” one player from their team to avoid penalties in the salary cap and tax luxuries. Boozer’s contract this year currently stands at $15 million. This stems from the sign-and-trade deal the Bulls made with the Utah Jazz to acquire the forward. He’s in the third year of a five-year, $75 million contract.

The dilemma doesn’t stem from his stats. Boozer averages 15.9 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game. The issue could be a result of his age. At 31, Boozer is in his prime.  Keeping in mind that an athlete’s career remains finite, Boozer’s production could go down next season.

Another factor is durability. Boozer only played 70 games in three of his last eight seasons according to Scoop Jackson of ESPN.com. Boozer has played in 43 games this season thus far and could possibly reach 70 games this year once more.

In the end, the Bulls need to figure out what’s best for them. If Boozer keeps his totals up this year, keep him. If they can find anyone else, then they should amnesty him. Otherwise, Bulls fans should get used to the idea of Carlos Boozer as their forward for at least two more years.

*stats are from NBA.com

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