Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie has a plan to run the Bulls, is it feasible?

This is where things start to get a little stickier. Using this year’s salary cap of approximately  $109 million (because who knows where that figure will be when all of this is over) as a baseline, the Bulls could theoretically offer one of Dinwiddie’s target wing candidates $9,246,000 in the form of the non-tax payer mid-level exception. With Davis on board, and the team’s total salary roughly static to this point, it’s safe to assume the Bulls would be right around the cap line right now, and well clear of the tax.

For Harkless, that $9.2 million figure feels well within reason on a flier for a contender. For Marcus Morris? The title contender pitch would have to be awfully compelling. Plus, with LaVine, White, Davis, and Markkanen all already needing the ball, perhaps someone with a bit lower usage at that spot would be best.

I’d call Harkless (a free agent this offseason) the most realistic option of the four, including Terrence Ross and Robert Covington. Ross just signed a four-year, $54 million extension with the Orlando Magic last summer, so bringing him on would require a bit of legwork. Covington, entering the third year of an affordable four-year, $47 million deal with the Houston Rockets, would be difficult to pry away from Daryl Morey, who spent two first-round picks to acquire him at February’s deadline.

Step four: Draft a wing

Luckily, Dinwiddie should have a high lottery pick to help fill out that wing rotation. He intends to use it:

Isaac Okoro, Deni Avdija, Devin Vassell, Saddiq Bey or even Jalen McDaniels could be reasonable options, wherever the Bulls’ pick lands. (How about trading down to Orlando’s slot in a deal centered around Ross? Vassell, Bey or McDaniels might be reaches in the top 10, but at No. 15? Just spitballing here.)

Step 5: Swap Otto Porter Jr. for Andre Drummond

Whichever way Dinwiddie decides to go in the draft, he has his eye on an Otto Porter Jr. for Andre Drummond swap to cap off his first offseason as Bulls’ head of basketball operations. 

Frankly, I don’t see this one. History says Davis won’t like the idea of playing center over the course of a full season (and Dinwiddie intends to value his input), but bringing Drummond on leaves you with just Harkless, Hutchison and your rookie at the small forward spot. We saw the consequences of not valuing wing depth with this year’s Bulls. Porter’s shooting and perimeter defense simply sound more valuable to this squad given its current construction.

But screw it. If he can find a way to make it work, cap-wise – given that both Porter and Drummond are due hefty player options after this season – who am I to stand in the way?

Step 6: Admire the finished product

Here’s what the Bulls are looking at entering next season if Dinwiddie has his way:

PG – Dinwiddie / Coby White** / Ryan Arcidiacono* 

SG – Zach LaVine / Shaq Harrison 

SF – Harkless / Hutchison / LOTTO PICK (I’d probably go Okoro, given Dinwiddie’s valuing of defense)

PF – Davis / Markkanen / Dudley

C – Drummond / Gafford / Luke Kornet*

*Dinwiddie alluded to shedding Arcidiacono and Kornet, but I’m keeping them on. The two combined don’t match up in trades for Covington or Ross, who Dinwiddie expressed interest in.

**#StartCoby forever. But this is Dinwiddie’s world, not mine.

Toss in a few more minimum or two-way guys (Adam Mokoka?), and that’s not half bad – albeit impossible for every reason enumerated above.

But what’s important is he’s bringing fresh ideas to the table. Hopefully, the Bulls’ new hire to head basketball operations will do the same.

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Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie has a plan to run the Bulls, is it feasible? originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago