The Chicago Bulls want LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony this summer and to make that happen, as trade with Carlos boozer or the amnesty provision will be necessary and if they miss on those free agents, some other targets could be Lance Stephenson, Luol Deng, Zach Randolph, Avery Bradley or even a trade for Kevin Love and all that could make the summer of 2014 a dramatic one for the NBA and the team as Derrick Rose makes his comeback.
The Bulls had to deal with a second straight season without Rose in the lineup and that made the franchise realize that with or without Rose, they need a legitimate scoring threat and another option alongside Joakim Noah that is considered an "elite" player or at least one that's comparable. The Bulls are one of the best defensive teams in the league, but as evidenced by their playoffs series with the Wizards, they have trouble scoring without Rose and that is one of the main reasons why they are targeting both James and Anthony this offseason.
The Bulls may look at names like Lance Stephenson, Luol Deng, Zach Randolph and Greg Monroe if they miss on the big players, but they are hoping to get someone like Anthony into the fold. The team will have to move Boozer and his $15 million salary and while he had a fine season with 13 points and eight rebounds, he will have to be on his way for any of these deals to work out. Mike Dunleavy has been solid as well, but the team could have big decisions to make on Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson. The Bulls were one of the top defensive teams in the league last season, but their offense was lacking for the majority of it and adding someone like Anthony could transform the team completely.
Carmelo Anthony is a top target as well and after the way the Knicks played last season, the Bulls feel that they have a realistic chance to sign him in the offseason. The team will have to move Boozer and his salary to get it done and he is one of 10 players still eligible for the amnesty clause and that is something the team will have to consider. The Bulls will be able to compete with the Knicks since the salary cap is rising, but they can't go for as many years or as much money as New York, but with Phil Jackson saying that Anthony likely will need to take a pay cut to stay, anything is possible.
The Bulls have a great coach in Tom Thibodeau and while playing for Phil Jackson is an intriguing prospect, Melo is getting to 30 and he realizes that his time for winning championships is running out. Melo is a fantastic scorer and he could fit into the offense with Rose and he would automatically make the team a title favorite. The Bulls will look at James as well, but it looks like he will not be leaving Miami and that makes Anthony the more likely option after the Knicks missed the playoffs and that was the first time he was out of the playoffs in his career.