The Chicago Bulls have added Aaron Brooks and signed Jimmy Butler and now the team is looking at Donald Sloan and Jordan Hill as potential free agent targets and this comes as a trade with Taj Gibson could be a potential option for the team after the emergence of Nikola Mirotic and the drafting of Bobby Portis this year.
The Bulls were expected to bring back Butler on a contract and now they have signed him to a deal worth over $95.5 million, according to ESPN. The deal has five years and Butler now takes over as the centerpiece of the franchise over the oft-injured Derrick Rose. Butler officially signed the deal on Thursday and he comes in after having a career season with the Bulls, averaging 20 points and six rebounds per game last year. UPDATE: Jordan Hill has signed with the Pacers.
The Bulls have brought back Aaron Brooks on a one year deal, according to Yahoo Sports and he will continue on as the backup for Rose. The team is also looking for more support on the free agent market and names like Donald Sloan, Andre Miller and Jordan Hill could be fits. Sloan reportedly is a target for the Bulls, as Shams Charania of RealGM reports that Sloan has interest from Chicago, the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.
Sloan is being looked at for a reserve role and he could help the Mavs after the team lost out on Patrick Beverley and Jeremy Lin in free agency. Sloan comes in after averaging 7.4 points, 3.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds for the Pacers in 53 games. Sloan started 21 games and he averaged a career high in points this season and that could get him a deal. Sloan could fit in behind Brooks and Rose for the Bulls, while the Spurs could use him behind Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
The team is deep up front, so Hill likely isn't a top option right now, but the team could look at him if he lingers on the free agent market. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Bulls could consider a trade with Taj Gibson this summer, as the team likes Nikola Mirotic at forward and they also have Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol and Bobby Portis up front. The team may wait until the deadline to shop Gibson, as he just had ankle surgery. Gibson has been a solid player for the Bulls, but he is making over $8 million the next two years and may be too expensive for his role this season.
Marc Stein reports that Brooks is signing a one year deal for the Bulls and that is a solid deal for a player that really helped out the team last season. The Bulls dealt with injuries to Rose and having brooks back gives the team continuity if Rose goes down again. If Sloan comes in that would give the team two solid guard options off the bench and Brooks is coming back after averaging 11 points per game last season in 23 minutes per contest. The Bulls brought in Fred Hoiberg and he will have to decide what type of lineup he wants to start this season.
Check here for more on the interest in Sloan and for more on the Jimmy Butler's contract and the deal for Aaron Brooks.
