Bulls standing pat?

Mike McGraw thinks the Bulls will stand pat until 2010. The exception being a trade for a low post player like Chris Bosh or Carlos Boozer. Mc Graw also mentions the Bulls could look for another guard to help Kirk Hinrich off the bench, and maybe bring back Lindsey Hunter as a player or coach.

Tough as it is to lose Gordon’s scoring, the Bulls decided they would get only so far with a small backcourt. An argument could be made that Hinrich is a more valuable player, considering he can defend, score and handle the ball. Derrick Rose already began to take on some of the late-game scoring duties during his rookie season and that will continue.

The Bulls have 12 players under contract at $67.54 million. This includes center Aaron Gray, who received a qualifying offer from the Bulls, and both draft picks.

The Bulls are required to add a 13th player, which will probably be a backup point guard. Anthony Roberson and Demarcus Nelson might battle for that job in summer league, while the Bulls are very interested in bringing back veteran Lindsey Hunter as a player or coach.

Nothing says the Bulls can’t pay a small amount of luxury tax next season. But obviously, they’re not going to add much more to the payroll. So even low-priced free agents such as Rodney Carney or Kareem Rush are a long shot.

Cap room arrives in 2010: The No. 1 benefit to letting Gordon leave for Detroit is it opens salary-cap room for the summer of 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Joe Johnson and many others are expected to be on the open market.

Since the Bulls have roughly $23 million in expiring contracts between Brad Miller, Tim Thomas and Jerome James, they can keep the current roster intact and free up roughly $10 million-$12 million for next summer. That figure could rise or fall, depending on what the Bulls do with Tyrus Thomas. He’s eligible to sign a contract extension later this summer or can become a restricted free agent next year. Talk that the Bulls were desperate to unload Thomas on draft night was false.

Is Boozer available? The Bulls wouldn’t turn away Wade next summer, but their greatest need is a talented big man, and Toronto’s Bosh is their dream acquisition, either in a trade or as a free agent next year.

The Raptors seem set on keeping Bosh this summer, with the hope they’ll add a free agent such as Hedo Turkoglu, return to playoff contention next season and convince Bosh to stay long term.

Rather than wait on Bosh, the Bulls might try to get a jump on 2010 by targeting Boozer in a trade. Both Salt Lake City papers have suggested the Jazz plans to re-sign restricted free agent Paul Millsap this summer.

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