With reports over the weekend that the Bulls had reached deals with Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic, and Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls appear to have taken a big leap forward in contending for the NBA title of Most White Players on an NBA roster next season.
Gasol, Mirotic, and Hinrich join last year’s free agent signing, Mike Dunleavy, and 2014 draft picks Doug McDermott and Cameron Bairstow, to create a stacked Caucasian roster unmatched in the Eastern Conference. Many NBA analysts predict the Bulls could easily win the coveted NBA title of Most White Players by the end of the 2014-2015 season.
While Bulls Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson, and General Manager Gar Forman failed to fill the team’s glaring need for a second scorer by repeating their foolish strategy of trying to lure uninterested big-name free agents to Chicago, the disappointment of the fanbase quickly faded when they learned the team had netted three new Caucasian basketball players over the weekend.
“Sure, Carmelo Anthony would have finally given the Bulls a second scoring option at the end of games to take some of the load off Derrick Rose, but when you learn the Bulls were able to retain the services of a white player and all-time ‘glue guy’ like Kirk Hinrich, it’s hard to call this offseason a failure,” said Marc Silverman, a huge Bulls fan and co-host of the ESPN 1000 radio show Waddle & Silvy. “Kirk hasn’t shot above 40 percent the past two years, but with him signed as a backup point guard, Coach Thibs can realistically consider playing five white guys at the same time. What other NBA team can claim that?”
NBA sources say the Bulls could be the leading contenders to add yet another white player to their roster in Minnesota’s Kevin Love if they’d be willing to part with Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler, two African-American players. In addition to adding another Caucasian player, Love could also fulfill Chicago’s longtime desire for a second superstar and No. 2 scoring option to play alongside Rose and Joakim Noah.
However, Paxson and Forman remain convinced that their strategy of stockpiling multiple, solid role players as “assets” rather than using them to acquire another superstar is a better fit for the Bulls’ organizational goals. It is widely known in NBA circles that the Bulls aim is to exceed expectations during the NBA’s meaningless regular season before bowing out early in the playoffs due to a lack of scorers who can create their own shot in a tight playoff series.
With respect to adding depth to the current roster of six white players, the Bulls can choose to keep benchwarmer Lou Amundson on the roster for 2014-15 or focus on the large number of white NBA journeymen that have produced Chicago favorites like Brian Scalabrine and Vladimir Ramanovic during previous seasons. It is unlikely the Bulls will re-sign free agent and white basketball player Jimmer Fredette, even though he delighted Bulls fans last year with eight appearances during garbage time.
Bulls owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, who continues to allow Paxson to direct the franchise after 11 seasons with no appearances in the NBA Finals and only one trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, has been busy watching José Abreu and his favorite team, the White Sox at US Cellular Field. Reinsdorf was counting the reported $60 million he earned last season taking advantage of the Bulls’ fanbase and could not be reached for comment.
