Chicago Bulls free agency rumors: Dion Waiters an option

The Chicago Bulls are in need of another player who can create his own shot. Does Dion Waiters fit the bill?

The Chicago Bulls have been pretty active this offseason. Not only did their trade their longest-tenured player in Jimmy Butler, they also waived Rajon Rondo, Michael Carter-Williams and Isaiah Canaan as well.

Now that the rebuild is in full swing, there is still the matter of acquiring another guard who can create scoring opportunities for himself as well as the other players on the roster. Of course, the player in question will have to come with a reasonable price tag as the front office has expressed a strong desire not to spend a lot of money in free agency.

"‘‘We’re not going to be throwing huge money at people [in free agency] right out of the gate,’’ Paxson told the Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘We have to be disciplined and patient. You need the right veterans, guys who are good teammates and supportive of the young guys and can teach them how to be pros. If there was a young player who we thought fit our future, we would certainly look at that.’’"

One player who appears to be on Chicago’s radar is free agent guard Dion Waiters. As luck would have it, though, the Bulls are not the only team interested in acquiring his services.

After stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers (14.3 points per game) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (10.9 points per game), Waiters took his talents to South Beach prior to the start of the 2016-17 campaign.

In his lone season with the Miami Heat, Waiters averaged 15.8 points per contest — his highest scoring output since 2013-14. Additionally, he posted career highs in assists (4.3) and rebounds per game (3.3).

Furthermore, Waiters converted nearly 40 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. In a league full of teams that focus on pace and space, the ability to be a threat from distance is vital to say the least.

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This is where Waiters and the Bulls could be a good match for each other. Although the Bulls are excited about the young players they have assembled, not many of them fall into the category of a legitimate floor spacer.

Being that the Bulls finished 24th in three-point shooting last season, acquiring a perimeter shooter should be high on their priority list. That being said, the question becomes: How much are the Bulls willing to pay for a veteran player who is coming off a solid season?

Well, according to Jack Maloney of CBS Sports, Waiters could command a four-year deal worth about $60 million. This price tag may be more than what the Bulls are willing to pay. However, if they want to remain somewhat competitive during the early stages of a rebuild, then Waiters is a viable option.

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This sentiment especially holds true considering Miami won 58.7 percent of its games when Waiters was in the lineup and just 38.9 percent of its games when he wasn’t on the court. Unless the Bulls are looking to tank in order to better position themselves for a high pick in next year’s draft, Waiters is certainly player that warrants consideration.