Chicago Bulls Could Look for Former Unknown Stars

Last year, Gar Forman invited unknown Cristiano Felicio, a forward from the Brazilian National Team to try out for the Bulls Summer League team and it paid off. Any player prospects among the undrafted player pool that the Bulls should check out from last year’s crop?

The Chicago Bulls cut Jordan Crawford instead of unknown Cristiano Felicio going into Fred Hoiberg‘s rookie Bulls season after the preseason games. Felicio proved himself an extremely valuable player for the Bulls as a defensive post player who knows how to look for shooters on the team after rebounds and is an agile player, despite being 260 pounds. Felicio can attack the rim strong from pick-and-dives (and a possible pick-and-pop role in the future).

Justin Holiday was just supposed to be a salary dump player for Kirk Hinrich, but instead of being waived, he got playing time after guard injuries piled up and showed fans that he is a reliable option. Holiday, like Felicio, who played overseas and an undrafted college player when he came out.

Some Bulls fans insist that the team trade for young, veteran players to fill out team needs, but GarPax are uncannily keen at getting unwanted players from other teams’ bench pool and finding rotation quality players.

Michael Qualls

Michael Qualls didn’t get drafted by an NBA team because of a freak ACL injury while trying out for the Phoenix Suns. If he recovers from that debacle, given his freak athletic skills, he might still be able to make a comeback as a swarming, pesky wing defender who can also take the ball strong to the hoop and snipe from three-point range in streaks. He was the tandem guard with Bobby Portis at Arkansas two seasons ago.

Qualls was signed by the Oklahoma City Thunder for a one-year contract in July, but waived in October and moved to the D-League, where he was removed by November.

He unfortunately got arrested on misdemeanor charges for possessing drug paraphernalia in December of 2015 and this event may red flag teams from giving him a second look.

But, if Indiana guard Ty Lawson can rehab and play again, who knows what happens if a team gives hope to Qualls. He can be paired with Holiday as part of a pressing half-court defense if his knee holds together and passes an NBA physical and medical. The Bulls can run a shooting clinic and not be afraid of opponent’s rim attacks if they miss and they have a wing like Qualls on board and healthy.

Portis may vouch for his buddy if he can help him get signed on the team. A turnaround would be a great NBA comeback story.

Jonathan Holmes

Holmes was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers, but immediately waived after he took a season-ending shoulder injury in a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Holmes is a great backup three or four who is a hard-working defender.

If Holmes fully heals, the Chicago Bulls might want to take a look at him as another Bobby Portis type. Undrafted players who are signed to non-guaranteed contracts may have a tendency to try too hard to prove their worth to an NBA team that they sometimes end up hurt doing too much, as was the case with the high motor Holmes.

If Kevin Love can return from a nasty shoulder tear and turn in an All-Star comeback, Jonathan Holmes may return as a smarter, yet effective role playing clone of Portis.

Cliff Alexander

Cliff Alexander is a Chicago native who played for Kansas during his one year in the college ranks. Alexander was undrafted and eventually was signed by Portland last year, before being moved to the D-League. He played 10 games for the Santa Cruz Warriors, scoring 15 points, grabbing over seven rebounds and blocking two shots per game. Those numbers weren’t far from what Cristiano Felicio’s own numbers were with the Canton Charge.

He is a strong (245 lbs.), undersized power forward who can wall off the middle or stand his ground against bigger and taller post players. Alexander can block shots (2.9 per 40 minutes in college) having a 7’3″ wingspan and a 9′ standing reach as a 6’8″ player.

If given good minutes in any team, Alexander can develop into a solid f defensive power forward, which is exactly what the Bulls will need with the possible departures of Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah. If the Bulls can pry him from Portland’s player pool, he would be a healthy 20-year-old big who can mix it up in the paint for defensive rebounds and force teams to shoot further out.

The Bulls might not risk anything for Michael Qualls after poor character choices and may not even consider Jonathan Holmes after his injury, but if they do and get rewarded by players who redeem themselves, it would be an interesting success story.

At one time the Bulls did give bad boy Dennis Rodman a chance to fit in and got rewarded with another three-peat. As for Cliff Alexander, his size may be underwhelming despite his innate abilities, but after having Gasol put up empty stats and compound bad play by Jimmy Butler ball hogging, the Bulls will need any defensive gem they can add to the team to compensate for the weaknesses of anybody they keep on the team.

Next: Joakim Noah's potential departure affects everyone involved

If these players can still play and keep their heads together, they should have a shot in the NBA and not just for the Bulls as “undrafted players.”

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Unknowns for the Chicago Bulls: Anyone Like Cristiano Felicio or Justin Holiday from Last Year’s Draft Class?

By Michael RENE KANOY | May 30, 2016

Last year, Gar Forman invited unknown Cristiano Felicio, a forward from the Brazilian National Team to try out for the Bulls Summer League team and it paid off. Any player prospects among the undrafted player pool that the Bulls should check out from last year’s crop?

Michael Qualls

Jonathan Holmes

Cliff Alexander