The Chicago Bulls are expected to become one of the most aggressive teams on the free agency market this summer with reports indicating that New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony is on top of their wishlist.
But now that Anthony will likely stay in New York after the Knicks named Phil Jackson as the new team president, sources indicated that the Bulls are now preparing to shift to Plan B.
According to Jon Greenberg of ESPN, the Bulls will likely make a run at signing Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson, who will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
Greenberg noted that Stephenson is actually a better option since the Bulls can just amnesty Carlos Boozer to create cap space whereas signing Anthony will also force the Bulls to release other key players in order to offer a maximum deal to the Knicks superstar.
"Ideally, it's Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson," Greenberg noted. "In some ways, he's a better Plan A, because he could fit in the salary slot vacated by the amnesty of Boozer. Stephenson is a rare find, a future unrestricted free agent at age 23."
Stephenson is having a breakout season, averaging 14.3 points to go along with 7.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists, but most analysts are still in doubt about how the fourth-year guard will fit into the Bulls.
But according to Greenberg, the former Cincinnati standout would fit in nicely with the team as he can also create his own shot - a player the Bulls need to support superstar point guard Derrick Rose.
"The Bulls need someone who can create his own shot. Would Stephenson fit in with the Bulls? Absolutely, and having Gibson and Joakim Noah around -- the two best New York City role models in the league -- wouldn't hurt his growth and development," Greenberg noted.
Aside from Stephenson, European prospect Nikola Mirotic is also an alternative for the Bulls with ESPN Chicago writer Nick Friedell suggesting that the Bulls could bring him over from Europe this year, but he quickly added that adding Mirotic will not make the Bulls a title contender next season.
