We all know the impact the Chicago Bulls have had in the NBA. Six NBA championships, launched the NBA into a new level and of course the ‘Jumpman’ himself Michael Jordan became the greatest player ever while wearing the Bulls uniform.
But are the Chicago Bulls a great destination for superstar free agents? This leaves me to wonder if they really are. Going back to 2010, they have always been in the discussion as top landing spot for top free agents when in reality they haven’t landed one. Some would say Carlos Boozer was a top signing, which he was in 2010. But he was at the bottom of the barrel of the tier one free agents in the 2010 offseason.
In 2010, they received visits from Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. And were rumored to be the favorite for landing James and Bosh. While Wade took two visits with the Bulls. We know the result of that offseason. The Bulls were left to sign Carlos Boozer.
In 2012, the Bulls were a potential landing spot for Dwight Howard. They would have had to give up players for Howard. In the end they did not want to pull the trigger on the deal because they knew Howard would not re-sign with a team if he were traded to them. Smart move by the Bulls to not trade assets for a player who would not want to return the following season. But yet again, a superstar free agent declines the Chicago Bulls.
This past offseason, Carmelo Anthony was a favorite and a likely landing spot for the Bulls. Anthony visited the team and they even had their “superstar” point guard Derrick Rose work out for him to let them know he was healthy and would be a great tandem. Given that Anthony took the max offer with the Knicks, but the Bulls roster has been a top defensive team in the league and have made the playoffs despite Rose being injured. But yet again, another superstar free agent declines the Chicago Bulls.
Now I know not many superstars become free agents, but over the last four years the Bulls have been a herald as a top destination for numerous superstars and have been spurned by them.
Why is this?
Many people look at the finances of the Chicago Bulls and their ownership. Some say the group does not like to spend, or it spends enough to not get hit with a luxury tax and uses the new CBA as a crutch not to spend. There have been plenty of opportunities to sign veteran minimum free agents and the chose to go another route. Ownership gave the Carlos Boozer a five-year deal worth up to $75 million only to be amnestied due to production a few years later. The Bulls have had no problem bringing in role players and not choosing to re-sign them while being coveted around the league.
And by role players I mean Nate Robinson and Omer Asik. When it comes to Asik, it took the Houston Rockets an entire NBA season to finally move him and couldn’t get a first round pick for him. As for paying their own, Bulls ownership gave defensive player of the year Joakim Noah a fiveyear, $60 million extension and 2011 MVP Derrick Rose five-year, $95 million extension. Those are two max extensions regulated by the league's collective bargaining agreement.
Some are skeptical about Bulls ownership but their argument could be a myth.
We are left with the Bulls “superstar” point guard Derrick Rose and his health. Many believe this could be the reason why free agents are skeptical to sign with the Bulls. I mean they did have Carmelo Anthony watch a live workout of Rose to show that he is healthy.
Could this be because superstars do not want to be in the shadow of Michael Jordan and his six titles, thinking that they will never be able to live up to his legacy? I tend to disagree with this one. The roster that these stars would have gone to could easily have been instant title contenders. And considering the Bulls are the darling of Chicago's media market, there most likely wouldn't have been criticism in the end.
But this leads to my next point. While Jordan was taking the NBA by storm with Pippen and Phil Jackson, the NBA was taken to new heights. My theory is all of the old school media, whether it’s ESPN, Yahoo! Fox Sports or even writers for the city of Chicago, most of these professionals grew up during this era.
They got into their profession when Jordan was dominating the NBA. Every NBA finals the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan are mentioned. They are the pinnacle of success. Every team strives for a three peat, now add two three-peat along with the league’s biggest star. Comparisons of the legacy of players are compared to the Bulls and Jordan. This era of basketball happened over 15 years ago. Yet we love to bring it up.
Why do we choose the Bulls as a top landing spot for free agents because of something that happened 15 years ago? Do we inheritably root for the Bulls due to nostalgia? Were we mad at Lebron James because he did not go to Jordan’s Bulls and went to team up with his best friend in Dwyane Wade?
These are some of the things that make me question why the Bulls are mentioned as a top landing spot nearly every offseason. Why the Chicago Bulls?