Some of the NBA Free Agents in 2015 are already eliciting interest and one of them really increased his stock exponentially. Jimmy Butler seems a lock for the Most Improved Player award as he stepped up to become the Bulls' main man.

Now the Chicago Bulls are reportedly willing to pay up just to keep their newly minted star player. From The Chicago Tribune (courtesy of Dime Mag)

"They fully expect to sign Butler to a max deal next July before another team even gets involved to tempt him with an offer sheet, which the CBA says they can after the moratorium ends. They accept that the size of Butler's contract will put the Bulls in position to pay the luxury tax, something Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf says he will do for a championship contender his team is."

Butler was offered an extension last summer but Jimmy Butler refused. He took a chance to play this season with the hope that the offer would increase. Most people were skeptical because the Bulls were compromised. Dime Mag continues:

"Chicago has approximately $63 million committed to nine players next season, including the player option of Kirk Hinrich and cap hit of the waived Rip Hamilton. Adding three minimum salary players to round out the roster before considering Butler's deal would push the Bulls' overall number to roughly $66 million, just below the cap and $15 million from the luxury tax threshold."

The Bulls would move into luxury tax territory if they were to offer the max to Butler. If they hesitate on the offer, most teams in the league would jump at the chance and Chicago would have to match. Considering how much he has improved becoming one of the elite shooting guards (probably one of the best behind James Harden), it should be a no-brainer for the Bulls.