Sharpshooting Korver added to Bulls' mix

Kyle Korver

Korver had a remarkable overall shooting season at 53.6 percent on threes and overall is a career 88 percent free throw shooter. It makes Korver a wing player who has to be defended, thus opening the court for the penetration of Derrick Rose and post ups of Carlos Boozer, his former teammate in Utah.
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Posted by Sam Smith | asksam@bulls.com | 07.09.10 | 5:45 p.m. CT

Sam Smith at Bulls.com

My kingdom for a shooter?

It wasn't quite that, but sources close to the team said the Bulls reached an agreement on Friday with Utah's Kyle Korver, one of the top perimeter shooters in the NBA, on a three-year deal valued at about $15 million.

Korver will join former teammate Carlos Boozer, who agreed to terms with the Bulls earlier this week.

Korver, 29, is a combo big guard/small forward who is a career 41 percent three-point shooter. He shot over 50 percent last season on threes for the Jazz and led the league. He's not a classic pure shooting guard, but also at 6-7, an ideal wing player to spread the court for Boozer, which he did with the Jazz. It's also part of the reason the Bulls liked the idea of adding Korver, in that he was famillar playing with and off Boozer.

Korver has played seven seasons with the 76ers and the Jazz. He started for the 76ers for two of his four seasons and had his best season in 2006-07, when he averaged 14.4 points off the bench. He played primarily a reserve role with the Jazz, and last season averaged 7.2 points, though he missed 30 games with a knee problem that was resolved. He returned in the playoffs and played every game, shooting 48 percent on threes. Korver had a remarkable overall shooting season at 53.6 percent on threes and overall is a career 88 percent free throw shooter.

It makes Korver a wing player who has to be defended, thus opening the court for the penetration of Derrick Rose and post ups of Boozer.

The Bulls also reached agreement on a deal with big man Omer Asik of Turkey. Asik will play for Turkey in the World Championships and will not be with the team until then. The Bulls are quietly optimistic about Asik and believe he can be a high level reserve behind Joakim Noah, which reduces their concern about adding another big man.

As a result, the Bulls are in discussions with several other free agent shooters and are expected to make another offer soon.

The additions fill out the Bulls roster well and seem to complement the players in place with Rose now getting help on the perimeter with shooting and Noah getting help with inside scoring. The addition of Boozer should also relieve Noah of having to be involved in screen roll so often and enable him to concentrate even more on attacking the boards. Plus, Boozer is an accomplished post scorer who has seen the court open for him playing with a shooter with range like Korver.

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