After a promising start to the season, which saw them sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls' 2021-22 campaign ended in a first-round exit at the hands of the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
Injuries to Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams hampered their push in the second half of the season as they finished in the No. 6 seed with 48-34 record.
Ending a four-year playoff drought brought plenty of optimism to the Windy City, but they have some big decisions to make in the offseason as they look to build a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Here's a snapshot of where the Bulls stand heading into the offseason.
All salaries are from Spotrac.
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Bulls upcoming free agents
The Bulls major free agency decision comes in the form of All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine who will hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, along with Derrick Jones Jr. and Tristan Thompson.
Additionally, Troy Brown Jr., Matt Thomas, Malcolm Hill and Tyler Cook will be restricted free agents, while Tony Bradley has a player option in his contract for the 2022-23 season.
| Unrestricted free agents | Restricted free agents | Player option | Team option |
| Zach LaVine | Troy Brown Jr. | Tony Bradley | None |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | Matt Thomas | ||
| Tristan Thompson | Malcolm Hill | ||
| Tyler Cook |
Bulls future salaries, roster
After signing with the Bulls as a free agent in the summer, DeMar DeRozan is owed has $55 .9 million over the next two years, while Nikola Vucevic enters the final year of his contract, worth $22 million. Meanwhile Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu will be extension eligible in the 2022-23 offseason.
| Players | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
| DeMar DeRozan | $27.3 million | $28.6 million | UFA |
| Nikola Vucevic | $22 million | UFA | - |
| Lonzo Ball | $19.5 million | $20.4 million | $21.3 million (PO) |
| Alex Caruso | $9 million | $9.4 million | $9.8 million (NG) |
| Patrick Williams | $7.7 million | $9.8 million (TO) | RFA |
| Coby White | $7.4 million | RFA | - |
| Tony Bradley | $2.03 million (PO) | UFA | - |
| Javonte Green | $1.8 million | UFA | |
| Ayo Dosunmu | $1.5 million (NG) | RFA | |
| Marko Simonovic | $1.5 million | $1.8 million (NG) | RFA |
PO = Player option
TO = Team Option
CH = Cap hold
RFA = Restricted free agency
UFA = Unrestricted free agency
NG = Non-guaranteed
Bulls 2022 NBA Draft picks
The Bulls own their first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
They also have a pick swap with the Detroit Pistons in the second round as well as an additional two second round picks acquired in deals with the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings.
One burning question
Will the Bulls offer Zach LaVine the max?
LaVine hits unrestricted free agency in the offseason and is eligible for a five-year, $200 million deal with the Bulls or if they choose to let him walk, he can sign a four-year $160 million deal with another team.
“Free agency is going to be a big milestone for me,” LaVine told Yahoo Sports. “It’s my first time going into it really being [an] unrestricted free agent. I dealt with it being restricted before so it’s a whole new experience.”
This season, LaVine took another big step forward, being named to his second straight All-Star team as he formed a devastating tandem with DeMar DeRozan, but will that be enough for the Bulls and LaVine to commit to the next five years together?
DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine accounted for 41% of the points the Bulls scored during the regular season.
— Drew Stevens (@lookwhatdrewdid) April 26, 2022
They’re responsible for 45.2% of the 376 points the Bulls have scored in four games against the Bucks.
The other option is a sign-and-trade with Sports Illustrated's Dalton Triggs reporting that the Dallas Mavericks could be a potential suitor for LaVine, but would a deal for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell and a 2022 first-round pick be enough to move the needle?
With the Bulls capped out their flexibility is limited, so getting anything in return for LaVine would be a win.
