2. Cristiano Felicio, Power Forward/Center
The most obvious name on this list that the Bulls would likely love to part ways with, but will have some difficulties doing so, is the 6-foot-10 and 270 pound sizable Brazilian power forward/center Cristiano Felicio. After bits and pieces of two decent seasons off the bench for Felicio at the outset of his run with the Bulls, the previous front office regime handed him all too big of a contract extension.
Felicio signed with the Bulls for four more years starting during the 2017-18 season, on a deal that is worth around $32 million in total. Given that Felicio has never really put together a season where he was a net positive or even semi-efficient player off the bench, that was a pretty boneheaded move by GarPax.
And the blame of Felicio’s bad play can’t be placed on Boylen’s shoulders. The problem of his contract and forced spot in the rotation was there before Boylen took over for former head coach Fred Hoiberg as the interim in December 2018. But this could be the right opportunity to turn the page on both Boylen and Felicio, heading into the fourth year of the rebuild.
Felicio is entering the final year of his current contract, so patience might be key here. But if there’s any team willing to take on the money of Felicio, or it would be more beneficial to the Bulls to waive him at some point next season, then there’s not much of a point in eating up a spot on the 15-man roster with a big man that hasn’t posted a box plus/minus rating better than -3.0 in the last three seasons.