A year ago, the Chicago Bulls were at a crossroads with their roster and the direction of the franchise:
Return the veteran core of Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade and hover around the .500 mark, while competing for a final playoff spot? Or take advantage of Butler's value by acquiring draft picks and young players, while taking a step back in the standings?
The Bulls chose the latter option.
The rebuild produced 27 wins in 2017-18 -- their lowest win total since 2003-04 -- but the Bulls' front office now has a blank canvas to work from with young players, potential cap space and two first-round picks, not to mention six players who are returning on their rookie contracts.
More summer focus: Click here for every team so far
Evaluate December and January
From a talent evaluation standpoint, the Bulls would have been better served if the NBA season ended in late January after a win against Atlanta. At that time, Chicago had put together a 15-8 record over six weeks and given management a foundation to work with for 2018-19.
But the next night the Bulls lost in double OT at New Orleans. Shortly after that they traded Nikola Mirotic to the Pelicans, began to rest their players and saw the taste of winning turn into a 9-27 record. Essentially the last 36 games of the season were about the team jockeying for position on May 15, the night of the draft lottery.
So, what did that 15-8 record tell us about the Bulls? For one, consistency and defined roles matter.
Per Basketball Reference, Chicago started 23 different lineups this season. During the stretch with 15 wins, the Bulls started the lineup of Kris Dunn, Justin Holiday, Denzel Valentine, Lauri Markkanen and Robin Lopez 13 times (out of a total of 23). After that stretch of winning basketball, Chicago would end the season using 14 different starting lineups.
In theory, each starter knew his role entering the game -- or in the case of Bobby Portis, coming off the bench. Yes, Nikola Mirotic played a significant role for 23 games before being traded, but Chicago identified a possible franchise player in Lauri Markannen, its possible PG of the future in Kris Dunn and a gem in upcoming restricted free agent David Nwaba. Consistent rotations allow for that kind of development.
Find middle ground with Zach LaVine
There are three ways to evaluate LaVine when it comes to a new contract:
1. The first three seasons with Minnesota.
2. The 24 games in Chicago post-ACL surgery.
3. The production level 21 months removed from surgery when the 2018-19 season begins.
While it's easy to label the return of LaVine a disappointment based on his ineffectiveness on the court (career-low 38.3 percent from the field), remember there is not only a physical but mental aspect of returning from such an injury.
The Bucks' Jabari Parker, after missing most of the 2014-15 season with a torn left ACL, struggled when he returned at the beginning of the 2015-16 season (24 points combined in his first four games) and didn't play his best basketball until two months later. As a result, the 2018-19 season should more closely resemble his first three seasons in Minnesota.
The middle ground for Bulls management and LaVine should come from two rookie extensions signed last fall to the Suns' TJ Warren and Nuggets' Gary Harris. Though different in salary -- Warren for $47 million and Harris for $72 million -- both players offer a framework for negotiations.
Below is a four-year comparison of the three players:
Turning free agency into draft assets
Don't expect Chicago to be a destination when free agency begins. The Bulls showed their hand before the trade deadline as to where cap space could be earmarked toward this summer.
Even with cap room that could increase to $30 million come July 1, the Bulls will be open for business to take back unwanted salary if there is a draft asset attached. In the case of the Omer Asik trade in February that saw Chicago absorb the $15 million owed in 2018-19 and 2019-20, that deal delivered the Bulls the 22nd pick in the June draft.
Expect the same strategy to continue with a Chicago team that has nine players on rookie contracts (including their two first-round picks this year), not to mention restricted free agents LaVine and Nwaba.
The front office has signaled that the days of taking short cuts are a distant memory even at the expense of short-term success. Now the question remains, do the Bulls (and their fans) have the patience to endure another year of rebuilding?
If they don't, Chicago could be an X factor this summer.
Summer cap breakdown
Even before any offseason additions or subtractions, Chicago will enter the summer with $9.9 million in cap space. However, the Bulls are technically over the cap because of the $8.9 million trade exception created in the Mirotic trade and combined with the $8.6 million nontax midlevel and $3.4 million biannual exception.
If Chicago elects to act as a team under the cap, their room could increase to $24 million. That amount takes into consideration removing Noah Vonleh's cap hold and waiving Sean Kilpatrick and Paul Zipser.
Dates to watch
Before free agency begins, Chicago will have until June 30 to extend qualifying offers to LaVine, Vonleh and Nwaba.
Because LaVine did not reach starter criteria (start 41 games or play 2,000 minutes during the season), the guard will have a qualifying offer of $4.3 million.
Vonleh, acquired at the trade deadline from Portland, is still a developmental project. Like LaVine, the qualifying offer for Vonleh would be $4.3 million. Keep in mind that Chicago would have up until July 13 to rescind the offer without his consent.
No undrafted player has seen his free agency stock increase this season more than Nwaba. Claimed last offseason from the Lakers, the combo guard had a true shooting percentage of 58 percent this season (61 percent last year). Nwaba will become a restricted free agent with early bird rights once Chicago extends the $1.7 million non-guaranteed qualifying offer.
Besides the June 30 qualifying deadline, Chicago has until July 18 to guarantee the $1.5 million contract of Paul Zipser.
Restrictions
Because of the Quincy Pondexter and Omer Asik trades, the Bulls are not allowed to receive any cash in a trade until after July 1.
Chicago still has the full $5.1 million allotment to send out in a trade or buy a second-round pick in the NBA draft.
Extension-eligible candidates
Don't expect the Bulls' front office to be in a rush when it comes to the six players eligible for an extension. Even with the Bulls flushed with former first-round picks (Jerian Grant and Cameron Payne), only Bobby Portis Jr. would merit any consideration. However, there is no incentive for the Bulls to give a long-term contract this summer that would significantly exceed the $7.5 million free agent hold for Portis in 2019.
Besides the rookie extension candidates, Robin Lopez, Omer Asik and Paul Zipser are eligible.
The draft assets
The rebuild in Chicago began last June when Jimmy Butler and the 17th pick turned into Lauri Markannen and two former lottery picks, Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine.
Now entering year two, Chicago will have two selections in the first round, their own and New Orleans'.
Here's how ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have Chicago picking in the 2018 draft:
No. 7 (own): Trae Young | PG | Oklahoma
No. 22 (via New Orleans): Chandler Hutchison | SG/SF | Boise State
The Bulls own all of their future first-round selections.