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Ty Jerome #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts against the Miam Heat.

The Chicago Bulls’ offseason remains a source of intrigue despite their continued trek toward the postseason. However, the Bulls are already being speculatively linked to Cleveland Cavaliers swingman Ty Jerome in free agency this offseason.

The Athletic’s John Hollinger noted Jerome is a “potential flight risk” this offseason.

Jerome is averaging career-highs with 12.0 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.5 rebounds this season. The former Memphis Grizzlies executive, Hollinger, thinks the Bulls could poach him.

“Jerome is having one of the most unlikely breakout seasons in league annals, suddenly emerging in his sixth season out of Virginia (wahoowa!) as a serious contender for both the Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player awards,” Hollinger wrote on March 21. “Knowing the Cavs can only get to $14 million, if you’re a team like the Brooklyn Nets or Chicago Bulls that has some cap space this summer, is it out of the question to offer Jerome $20 million a year? ”

Jerome, 27, is on an expiring two-year, $5 million contract with $15.9 million in career earnings. He could beat that in Year 1 of his next deal.

“He’s shooting 41.8 percent from 3 and an unfathomable 55.6 percent from floater range, boasts the league’s 10th-highest steal rate among players with at least 1,000 minutes, averages nearly three assists for every turnover and has compiled a 20.1 PER for a team that’s a phenomenal 56-13,” Hollinger wrote.

Re-signing Jerome could impact other moves, further exacerbating the issue for the Cavs.

Bulls Boast Guard Heavy-Roster

Guard-heavy rosters are one of the key features of the Bulls under executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and head coach Billy Donovan.

Their best teams featured heavy contributions from Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Lonzo Ball, and Zach LaVine. DeMar DeRozan, who is a forward but entered the league as a guard and handles the ball as frequently, can also be included in that group.

This season, newcomers Josh Giddey, Kevin Huerter, and Tre Jones have all made an impact.

That is not to dismiss the veterans and prospects of current and years past, such as Carlik Jones, Goran Dragic, and Jevon Carter.

Despite the Bulls’ plethora of options, they could find themselves in a position where Jerome would be more than a luxury addition. Both Giddey and Jones are free agents and could already be pricing themselves out of the Bulls’ comfort zone.

That could open the door for Jerome to land in Chicago this offseason.

Still, the Bulls also have Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips, Matas Buzelis, and Patrick Williams all mixing in somewhere from 2 through 4, and even some 5.

Ty Jerome Could Be Fallback Option for Bulls

Giddey has averaged 13.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game with the Bulls this season. He is expected to seek somewhere in the range of $30 million annually.

Jones has averaged an 11.5/4.9/3.2 line since joining the Bulls at the trade deadline.

He is injured and could miss the rest of the regular season, further clouding his future with the Bulls. Giddey is believed to be a priority, which could leave Jones as a backup plan for the Bulls this offseason. Jerome is more likely to come into play for the Bulls if Jones also leaves.

By then, the Cavs breakout star may have already secured a lucrative payday for himself in free agency.

Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter