[外電] Bulls have flexibility under new deal
Bulls have flexibility under new deal
http://tinyurl.com/7a2za8p
By K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune reporter
9:27 p.m. CST, November 26, 2011
Rose contract extension might keep Bulls from being big players in free agent
market
Saturday morning's 3:40 a.m. news conference in New York announcing a tentative
agreement to end the NBA lockout will be memorable for years.
So, too, could be the league's plan to start a shortened, 66-game season with a
Christmas Day tripleheader featuring, among other juicy matchups, the Bulls
visiting the Lakers inside a star-studded Staples Center.
But with training camps and free agency tentatively scheduled to begin Dec. 9,
pending expected approval from the league's owners and players, what Bulls fans
want to know is: Who will be starting at shooting guard alongside Derrick Rose?
Granted, the new 10-year collective bargaining agreement, with potential
opt-outs for either side after six years, carries greater sweep than that.
Particularly because, once ratified, it will save a 2011-12 season that should
build on the momentum from last season.
But while lockout rules prohibiting team officials from commenting or talking
to players remain in place until the union re-forms to sign the collective
bargaining agreement, short- and long-term effects for the Bulls can be
gleaned.
The Bulls have roughly $64 million committed to 13 players for 2011-12, which
is above a salary cap expected to remain near $58 million. They must decide
whether to exercise their $1.73 million team option on starting shooting
guard Keith Bogans, while Jannero Pargo's team option won't be picked up and
John Lucas III is on a fully non-guaranteed deal.
Being above the salary cap means they will have to use exceptions to sign
free agents. The mid-level exception will be $5 million for
non-luxury-tax-paying teams, like the Bulls. Cheaper bi-annual and veteran's
minimum exceptions are at their disposal as well.
While intriguing options such as Jason Richardson, Jamal Crawford and
Tayshaun Prince will be unrestricted free agents, the Bulls likely will
monitor the amnesty wire to see which high-priced veterans from other teams
get waived.
The Bulls have no plans to use their amnesty option on one of their own
players this offseason. But if somebody like Vince Carter or Richard Hamilton
shakes free via the amnesty market, signing such a scorer to a lower-priced
deal might be more realistic than Richardson or Crawford.
That's because Rose will be signed to a maximum contract extension that
begins in 2012-13. Under terms of the old collective bargaining agreement,
Rose's deal would have started at roughly $14.5 million. However, it's
expected the new CBA will feature language rewarding overachieving players
such as, say, a youngest most valuable player in league history, to maximum
extensions at 30 percent of the salary cap.
That would place Rose's starting salary closer to $17.4 million. With roughly
$39.6 million already committed to Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah
in 2012-13, the Bulls would be at $57 million for four players.
The luxury tax is slated to remain static near $70 million for the first two
years of the new agreement. This is where Noah's descending salary and team
options for 2012-13 on Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer and C.J. Watson might
benefit the Bulls, who historically have avoided paying the luxury tax.
In a July 2009 interview with the Tribune, Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf
said he would pay the luxury tax "if I felt we had a guy who would put us
over the top and put us in the Finals." Whether that applies with an
increased revenue sharing plan and more punitive luxury tax penalties in the
third year of this pending deal is unknown.
Until the luxury tax threshold increases for the 2013-14 season, the shooting
guard position might be upgraded via trade or a smaller signing rather than a
big splash. Though the Bulls remain high on Omer Asik and Taj Gibson,
acquiring Nikola Mirotic's draft rights serves as big-man insurance should a
trade option make sense.
Arron Afflalo would be an ideal fit this offseason. But as a restricted free
agent, the Nuggets can match any offers he receives. Bogans, who started all
82 games, conceivably could return.
All those decisions will be fast and furious once the league opens for
business. Through all the twists and turns, players ultimately will miss just
two paychecks. And basketballs will be bouncing soon.
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