Chicago Bulls: 5 potential free agency targets in 2018

5. Marcus Smart

One player the Bulls have already been linked to during this offseason is Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

This news seems somewhat surprising, for reasons I will get to in a moment. On the positive side, Smart is an elite defender who can guard multiple positions. Not only does he guard opposing players well, he does so with a high level of tenacity.

Under the previous coaching regime, defense was Chicago’s calling card. Bearing that in mind, what Smart brings to the table from that standpoint would make some sense as to why the Bulls are one of multiple teams potentially interested in adding him to their roster.

On the other hand, although Smart did post a career high in assists last season (4.8 per game), his efficiency leaves a lot to be desired across the board. For starters, his field goal percentage has never been higher than 36.7 percent in a single season. He reached that plateau back in 2014-15 and last season as well.

Additionally, Smart wouldn’t provide much as far as 3-point shooting is concerned either. In fact, he is a career 29 percent shooter from deep and it doesn’t appear this trend will be changing in the near future.

In spite of the low efficiency numbers, Smart has stated he is worth more than $12-14 million. It should also be mentioned the Celtics have recently tendered his qualifying offer, officially making him a restricted free agency.

While the Bulls would certainly value the intensity he plays with from a defensive standpoint, it is doubtful they’d be willing to pay such a steep price for a one-dimensional player.