The Bulls have reportedly reached a buyout agreement with Nikola Mirotic to join the team next season.Of note, that could impact the Bulls’ ability to offer Carmelo Anthony a max contract,not that it would matter since the Bulls have little or no chance of signing him.The forward has been highly regarded since the Bulls drafted him several seasons ago. The move does seem to give credence to the idea that the Bulls are planning on using the amnesty provision on Carlos Boozer.League executives have compared him to Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson.

The Miami Heat are recruiting former Bull Luol Deng in free agency, and president Pat Riley will meet with him Saturday in Chicago, according to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.Riley will presumably pitch Deng on the idea of taking less money to play for a championship. Deng only once got as far as the Eastern Conference finals during his time with the Bulls, and the 10-year vet would make the Heat the overwhelming favorites to reach the NBA Finals next season, if they are not already. He would be a fantastic complementary player in Miami, who would fit seamlessly into coach Erik Spoelstra’s system on both ends.This is likely the last big payday of his career, though, and the Heat might get priced out. He reportedly does not intend to take “significantly less” to join them.
Bulls fans would have someone else to boo loudly each time Deng touches the ball if he’s in a Heat uniform for less money than the Bulls offered him, before the dealt him to Cleveland.