Chicago Bulls: 3 under the radar free agent targets

I don’t think I can remember a Chicago Bulls offseason filled with this much excitement since the 2014 recruitment of Carmelo Anthony. New Bulls Vice President of basketball operations, Arturas Karnisovas has made it clear to the fans that his priority is winning at all costs. He isn’t interested in a retool, a rebuild, or any kind of process that screams mediocrity.

The Chicago Bulls must make the playoffs in 2021-22 in order to compete for star free agents next offseason

Unfortunately for the Bulls, the 2021 class of free agents isn’t particularly stacked with star power. With Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, they have two players of the “big 3” needed to realistically contend for a championship. The Chicago Bulls need the superstar, the top 10 player who can put this team over the top and bring a championship back to a city that hasn’t been back to the finals since Michael Jordan and the crew led them there in 1998.

The Chicago Bulls could trade for this missing piece. Players like Damian Lillard are rumored to potentially be on the move, but with the Vucevic trade costing two top-4 protected first-round picks, the Bulls would likely not be able to make a competitive offer, even if they package all their young talent.

This leaves free agency – the Chicago Bulls must make smart acquisitions in free agency this year while leaving the cap space available to sign a superstar next summer and extend Zach to a four or five-year max contract extension. These acquisitions have to help the Chicago Bulls make the playoffs next season because if they keep taking steps forward, it could entice a superstar to come to Chicago and complete the big three.

Here, I highlight three under-the-radar free agents I have yet to see be linked to the Chicago Bulls, but who would represent great additions to the roster as they make their playoff push in 2021.