Chicago Bulls free agency: Will they make any noise this summer?

The 2018 NBA free agency period opened on July 1 and there has already been a flurry of activity. The Chicago Bulls, with room to operate under the salary cap, have been noticeably silent. Bulls fans are wondering if the team has a plan.

So far in 2018 NBA free agency, we’ve seen a lot of action involving player movement and even some head-scratching transactions. The Chicago Bulls have been silent in the early hours, which may not be that surprising. However, for a fanbase already growing discontent with the front office, the inactivity coming from the Advocate Center speaks volumes.

The Bulls entered this summer with some question marks regarding their roster. Most notably, would they re-sign restricted free agent Zach LaVine? Can they obtain draft picks this summer by taking on “bad” contracts? Is David Nwaba a part of their future?

For any rebuilding team, the combined accumulation of talent and draft picks is paramount to future success. While only a few hours into free agency, we are still waiting to see how the Bulls will answer these questions.

Bulls shouldn’t pursue any multi-year contracts with outside free agents

The most important task the Bulls front office has this summer is protecting its cap space. In the super-team era, cap space is as valuable as the talent surrounding big-name additions. In that light, the Bulls should stick to their guns and not offer any multi-year contracts to anyone.

Though they’ve been linked to Marcus Smart, Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood, they shouldn’t offer more than a one-year deal. The flexibility created to target multiple max slot free agents next season is too valuable to lose for mid-level talent.

Still rebuilding, the Bulls won’t be signing any franchise-altering player this month. However, they could still flip anyone signed on a one-year deal for a draft pick at the trade deadline. Trevor Ariza agreeing to a one-year, $15 million deal with the Phoenix Suns is the prototype deal the Bulls should be targeting.

Where is Zach LaVine headed?

With free agency still in its infancy stage, it’s no surprise Zach LaVine hasn’t signed any offer sheeets yet. The Bulls guard has been linked to the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings so far, but it remains to be seen what type of offer he’ll receive.

The Bulls need to retain LaVine, but the price could be costly. While some fans may be happy to see LaVine walk, he’s still only 23 years old and has plenty of upside. He may not like $15 million annually, but a healthy resolution should be in $18-20 million range annually over four years. Looking at some of the contracts already, I don’t see LaVine signing for much less.

Fans should be patient this summer

The Chicago Bulls might strike quickly and pick up a free agent soon. The front office operates with such secrecy that it’s hard to know what direction it’s headed in. One thing we do know is, the current roster most likely won’t be much different on opening night.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

Bulls fans need to be patient, though I won’t implore you to trust GarPax. We’ve been saying this a long time, but this city should be a destination for NBA stars. With Lauri Markkanen and a ton of cap space this summer and next, the Bulls are heading in the right direction.  If they act wisely, Markkanen could have some star talent surrounding him soon … just not this summer.