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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