3. Daniel Gafford, Center
Rookie contracts are always going to be one of the more valuable sources of cap room for any team in the NBA, if they’re getting efficient minutes from those players. So far this season, the Bulls were certainly getting a lot of value out of the contract of their 2019 second round draft pick and former Arkansas Razorbacks big man Daniel Gafford.
In 43 games played in the season that is currently placed on pause, Gafford is averaging 5.1 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 70.1 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from the charity stripe. This season, Gafford is getting a salary of $898,000 which is the minimum. Combo guard Shaquille Harrison is also getting the minimum this season.
Advanced numbers give mixed results for how much value Gafford truly brought to the table so far this season as a rookie for the Bulls. He does have a very solid 124 offensive rating, .146 win shares per 48 minutes, 68.6 true shooting percentage, and 8.7 percent block rate. But the 109 defensive rating, -1.3 box plus/minus rating, and 0.1 value over replacement rating are rather pedestrian numbers.
Nonetheless, the Bulls still have Gafford locked up for four years on his rookie contract, worth no more than $2 million in any one season. Given how much he was able to contribute to a frontcourt rotation that was rather thin at times, Gafford was a much-needed addition that made an immediate impact.