NBA free agency 2016: 5 targets for Bulls

Apr 3, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) celebrates with forward Nikola Mirotic (44) during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Chicago won 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mar 20, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) shoots against the Portland Trail Blazers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Zaza Pachulia

One of the frontcourt players that will be hitting free agency this offseason that could potentially have a big impact on whatever team he lands on—at least given what he was able to do last season—is veteran center Zaza Pachulia.

Zaza was a beast for the Dallas Mavericks last season and a somewhat unheralded reason why the Mavericks were able to make their relatively surprising run into the playoffs. And he’d be perfect for the Bulls.

Even after acquiring Robin Lopez in the Rose trade, the Bulls are losing two of their most important bodies in the frontcourt and essentially their two most natural centers in Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah (assuming that both follow the expected course and depart from Chicago). Even with Lopez, that leaves a gaping hole in the rotation and a role that Pachulia could fill.

Pachulia definitely wouldn’t be the Bulls focusing on youth by any stretch as he’s on the wrong side of 30 years old. However, the veteran big man would bring toughness, chemistry, and even quiet production to the frontcourt that they’re going to need moving forward. Targeting Pachulia could be a sneaky impactful move for the Bulls if they were to actually do so.

Next: No. 4 Jeremy Lin

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