What the Chicago Bulls’ Dream Offseason Looks Like

The Chicago Bulls should have a different offseason priority than in recent years, and one can only hope that the front office’s Gar Forman and John Paxson know it.

Their goal this year should not be to “get better” or “put in that last piece of the championship puzzle.” It should be to accrue a team that actually gets along and complements coach Fred Hoiberg’s system, not one that tries to keep the band together.

With that in mind, this is what the ideal offseason would look like for the Chicago Bulls if “GarPax” were to surprise us all with uncharacteristic proactivity.

Spring Cleaning

The front office is already failing at that test, though. 

The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reported that Joakim Noah, who will be a free agent this summer, wants out: “Noah has been telling teammates in recent weeks that he was done with the organization once free agency begins and “has no trust in the front office getting this in the right direction,’’ according to a Bulls player.”

However, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune wrote that Noah’s agent denies that: “‘Joakim and I speak on a daily basis about his future,'” Bill Duffy, Noah’s agent, told the Tribune. ‘There has been zero indication from him that he doesn’t wish to return to the Bulls.'”

In fact, Forman and Paxson are hoping to re-sign Noah:

“We are going to sit down with Jo and his agent,” Paxson said in April. “In situations like this, it’s got to be right for both sides. Anyone who has spoken to either (general manager) Gar (Forman) or me about Joakim, they know how we feel about him. He represents a lot that we believe in. To me, he’s one of the most genuine people I’ve ever been around in this business.”

Whether Cowley’s report is right and this is just his agent protecting him or if Noah is indeed open to staying should be a moot point. Noah is an important part of Bulls history. He is not part of their future because he simply does not fit the mold of “Hoiball.”

For all the talk about how his “tornado” shot is “ugly, but he makes it,” he really doesn’t. According to Basketball-Reference.com, last year he shot 14.8 percent on his jumper and has never been over 35 percent (for his career, he’s at 32.3 percent). That in no way qualifies him as the kind big Hoiberg prefers—one who can shoot the ball and space the court.

We can argue that if it comes to a choice between Noah and Hoiberg, the Bulls should choose Noah. But that’s not the real choice, since Forman and Paxson are the ones doing the choosing.

The real choice is between the past and the future, friction and harmony. Noah falls on the wrong end of those answers.

Pau Gasol is 35 and also well past his prime. He posts great numbers, but he’s not the center to rebuild around. Chicago should let him walk, too.

While they’re at it, the Bulls should look to see what kind of trade interest there is in Mike Dunleavy, Taj Gibson and even Derrick Rose. If they can make a deal for any or all of them, the Bulls should, especially if they can add assets.

An Image Makeover

Scrubbing the team of players who don’t fit or would rather be elsewhere is only half the battle. Getting new bodies to join is another story.

More than in most seasons, free agents will have their pick of teams. With the TV deal raising the salary cap over $20 million to $93 …

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