Breaking down the Chicago Bulls players headed for free agency this summer — led by superstar Zach LaVine — as well as those with player and team options for 2022-23.
The headline is that the Chicago Bulls made the playoffs in 2022 for the first time since 2017. How it happened doesn’t matter a ton. They may have finished in the No. 6 seed due to injuries, but they flirted with the top of the Eastern Conference for the first half of the season thanks to some smarter-than-smart offseason moves.
The 2021 free agent period was good to the Bulls. All-Star DeMar DeRozan and integral rotation player Alex Caruso solidified the roster with both star-level scoring and intense perimeter defense. Now, head coach Billy Donovan and GM Mark Eversley will have to make a series of important decisions once again — and it all starts with superstar Zach LaVine, who will command a hefty price this summer no matter where he ends up.
With that in mind, check out Boardroom’s full breakdown of imminent Bulls free agents, as well as a snapshot of the team’s salary cap outlook as things currently stand.
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2022 Chicago Bulls Free Agents
Contract and salary figures via Spotrac unless otherwise noted. Restricted free agent status designates that a player’s current team reserves the right to match any rival team’s contract offer sheet in order to prevent that player’s departure.
1. SG Troy Brown Jr. (restricted)
- Age: 23
- Expiring Contract: 4 years $14,511,964
- 2021-22 Salary: $5,176,564
2. PF Tyler Cook (unrestricted — two-way contract)
3. G Malcolm Hill (restricted — two-way contract)
- Age: 26
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $324,373
- 2021-22 Salary: $324,373
- NOTE: Hill earned $53,176 earned with Atlanta and $271,197 with Chicago
4. SF Derrick Jones Jr. (unrestricted)
- Age: 25
- Expiring Contract: 2 years, $18.978,900
- 2021-22 Salary: $9,720,900
5. SG Zach LaVine (unrestricted)
- Age: 27
- Expiring Contract: 4 years, $78,000,000
- 2021-22 Salary: $19,500,000
6. SG Matt Thomas (restricted)
- Age: 28
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $1,669,178
- 2021-22 Salary: $1,669,178
7. C Tristan Thompson (unrestricted)
- Age: 31
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $1,000,000
- 2021-22 Salary: $1,000,000
Bulls Contract Options for 2022-23
C Tony Bradley (player option)
- Active contract: 2 years, $3,825,574
- 2021-22 Salary: $1,789,256
- 2022-23 Option: $2,036,318
Chicago Bulls 2022 Salary Cap Numbers
All dollar figures and cap estimates via Spotrac as of April 27. Reflects a “soft” salary cap of $112.414 million, a luxury tax threshold of $136.606 million, and a $143.002 million luxury tax apron for hard-capped teams.
- Active contracts: $100,033,270
- Dead cap money: None
- Total salary cap usage: $170,502,103
- Estimated 2021-22 luxury tax bill: None ($48,966,730 under luxury tax threshold)
- Salary on the books for 2022-23: $199,033,270
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