Bulls have sights set on shooting guard
Training camp rosters are usually teeming with new faces and extra bodies to help get through the practice grind.
When the Bulls finally took the floor at the Berto Center on Friday — roughly two months late thanks to the NBA lockout — they used just 11 players and the only new face was rookie forward Jimmy Butler.
Brian Scalabrine and John Lucas III were on the floor. Kurt Thomas and Keith Bogans were not.
The Bulls are still hoping Thomas, 39, comes back for another season. Bogans, meanwhile, was listed on the official roster, but it’s been no secret the Bulls are hoping to add a more offensive-minded shooting guard. Bogans started every game last season, averaging just 4.4 points.
So the shooting guard watch is on and the Bulls decided it wouldn’t be fair for Bogans to start practice with the team if they don’t plan to keep him. He has a contract option that must be exercised by Dec. 19.
“At this time, we are exploring several options in finalizing our roster,” general manager Gar Forman said in a statement. “We have always respected Keith’s professionalism and we hope to have more clarity on this situation soon.”
So while Bogans waits, a familiar rival may have risen to the top of the wish list. Longtime Detroit guard Richard Hamilton agreed to a contract buyout with the Pistons and was released. After clearing waivers in 48 hours, he’ll be free to join any team and speculation is rampant that he’ll land with the Bulls.
Derrick Rose repeated that he’s happy with the teammates he has — but he is also not opposed to adding Hamilton.
“Rip is a winner,” Rose said. “I can’t say nothing bad. He’s got a championship. It’s great. He knows how to win. He came from winning programs. If he comes along, I know we’d be happy to have him.”
The Bulls have been in contact with a number of players and have had no luck so far getting Orlando’s Jason Richardson interested in signing for the midlevel exception of $5 million. He made around $14 million last season.
Ex-Bulls guard Jamal Crawford is also looking for a new home and Vince Carter, officially released by Phoenix on Friday, is another possibility.
Hamilton, 33, has played in 120 career playoff games, more than Richardson (32), Crawford (23) and Carter (56) combined.
“We just need winners on this team,” Rose added. “Someone that has a great attitude and knows how to win basketball games and work their tail off.”
Carter, 34, is older than the other candidates, but he also has the highest career scoring average at 22.2 points.
Last season, Hamilton had a run-in with Pistons coach John Kuester, but played in 55 games, averaging 14.1 points. Before that, he averaged at least 17 points for 10 straight years, and he has a career field-goal percentage of 45 percent.
Richardson and Crawford are likely exploring interest from the teams that have cap space available, such as Indiana, New Jersey, New Orleans and Denver. A sign-and-trade isn’t likely, because the Bulls would have to send salaried players back to their former teams.
Maybe Hamilton’s availability will prompt Richardson or Crawford to become more interested in what the Bulls have to offer. It should all play out in a few days.
“I’ll leave it up to Gar and Pax (vice president of basketball operations John Paxson),” Carlos Boozer said. “They do a great job of putting a great team in the locker room. Whatever they do, we’ll ride with; whether they keep the same guys or add.”
Coach Tom Thibodeau showed no interest in speculating who might join the roster.
“I like the guys we have here,” he said. “Whoever we decide to go forward with, I’m good with.”