Derrick Rose's recovery from a torn ACL hangs over everything right now for the Chicago Bulls. The best case projections for the return of Chicago's fallen hometown hero have Rose back on the court after the All-Star break, though the possibility of Rose missing all of next season still persists. So what are the Bulls to do with little salary cap flexibility and a payroll close to pushing its way into the luxury tax?
According to one report, the Bulls are interested in a pair of future Hall of Fame point guards: Steve Nash and Jason Kidd.
Per Aggrey Sam of Comcast SportsNet Chicago:
While the front office may seek out minimum-salary veterans at several positions, including point guard, a source tells CSNChicago.com that the Bulls will take a run at future Hall of Famers Steve Nash and Jason Kidd in free agency, trying to convince the former All-Stars that they will have an opportunity to win a championship, of which Kidd has one, from last season with the Mavericks, and Nash has none, in Chicago.
This strikes me as highly unlikely, especially given the organization's past unwillingness to enter the luxury tax, which became even tougher on teams with the new passing of the new CBA. If there's a way Chicago could make it work, either Nash or Kidd would be a great addition.
Nash averaged 12.5 points and 10.7 assists for the Suns last season at 38 years old, posting a PER of 20.29. One would assume the Bulls will have plenty of competition for his services. My best guess is that Nash could score a 2-year, $20 million offer.
Kidd might be a slightly more realistic option. The point guard will turn 40 next season and saw his numbers drop across the board in 2011-2012. Kidd averaged 6.2 points per game and 5.5 assists per game with a PER of 13.11 for Dallas.
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