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C.J. Watson's fate is out of his hands

June 21st, 2012 1:04 PM
  • C.J.-Watsons-fate-is-out-of-his-hands
  • Chicago Bulls guard C.J. Watson is defended by Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner during the fourth quarter of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Arena. The Sixers defeated the Bulls 89-82.

    • As a free agent, Bulls point guard C.J. Watson has found himself in an uncomfortable situation. The young guard joined Chicago in 2010 and provided limited minutes off the bench during his first season. But as All-Star Derrick Rose suffered injuries throughout 2011-12, Watson saw more minutes and stepped up for the Bulls, finishing the year averaging 10 points and 4 assists.

    Now with an expired contract, Watson has expressed interest in re-signing with Chicago. Watson met with Bulls GM Gar Forman and coach Tom Thibodeau to discuss his future and the three seem to be on the same page. With Rose out for a portion of next season due to a recently torn ACL, Watson could be a valuable asset for the team.

    When a GM, player, and coach all agree on something it’s almost always a done deal. This time, however, there are a few complications. Because the Bulls are paying Rose a ridiculous five-year, $94.8 million dollar contract, they have lost a lot of salary space. This summer, they have free agents Omer Asik, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer as well as Watson to consider resigning.

    The first priority of Chicago is Asik. If they bring him back, the young center could demand $5 million a season. If the Bulls pay that price, they will be right up against their salary cap. Resigning Watson along with Asik would then cause Chicago to pay a luxury tax, which is a harsh monetary penalty that serves to discourage teams from exceeding their salary cap.

    Even if the Bulls are outbid for Asik, they still have to consider if Watson has higher value to them than Korver and Brewer. In an era where loyalty is scarce and players tend to follow money, it’s unfortunate that Watson has no control over his fate. The bright side for Watson is that Asik will not be easy to re-sign, as many teams have been watching him and can offer more than Chicago. Bottom line, the luxury tax has brought a lot of complications to the Bulls and it will be interesting to see how they handle the offseason.

    — Tim Moczula

    C.J. Watson wants to return to the Chicago Bulls next season, but he isn’t sure about his future given the organization’s uncertain salary cap status.

    Read the original post from espnchicago.com

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