The madness of the NBA's truncated and chaotic free-agency period has finally reached Chicago. While not exactly on the scale of the proposed, then league-cancelled three-team blockcuster deal that would have sent All-Star point guard Chris Paul to the Lakers from the NBA-owned Hornets.
The saga of the Bulls' search for a starting shooting guard has taken its own twists and turns Friday.
On the first day of Bulls training camp, incumbent starting shooting guard Keith Bogans was pulled off the practice floor by the organization, as first reported by the Chicago Tribune. Bogans had a team option for 1.73 million for the upcoming season.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Adding to the intrigue is reports of the Pistons waiving longtime shooting guard Richard "Rip" Hamilton. The veteran has had a turbulent and injury-filled recent history -- including being part of a so-called "mutiny" against former Detroit head coach John Kuester last season -- but when healthy, his potent mid-range game, playoff and championship experience, ability to move without the ball and overall savvy play could bolster the Bulls' perimeter attack, although he's not quite the deep-shooting threat, lockdown defender, athlete or shot creator that would seem ideal fo the team's roster, as currently constructed.
Another available veteran whose best days could be behind him, but still possesses scoring ability is Vince Carter, waived by the Suns on Friday. No longer the high-flying athlete of his youth and still plagued by his career-long apathy to defense, the injury-prone Carter is still capable of explosive individual scoring games, as well as knocking down shots behind the three-point arc.
The Bulls, reportedly prepared to offer the full mid-level exception and also open to sign-and-trade possibilities, have added free-agent veteran shooting guard and Chicago native Luther Head to their preseason roster. Other non-guaranteed invites include returnees John Lucas III and Brian Scalabrine, while first-round draft pick Jimmy Butler, expected to sign a rookie contract soon, is also in camp.
The current number of players present at the Berto Center practice floor late Friday afternoon to 12.