Chicago Bulls: Writer notes Davis Bertans as possible free agent target

Free agency could be a crucial time for the Chicago Bulls new front office personnel. Who should they be targeting this offseason?

This cycle of free agency will be a great opportunity for the new look Chicago Bulls front office regime to start building out the supporting cast around the key parts of the young core. This rebuild is heading into its fourth year, and there were a lot of ingredients added to the mix already this offseason to move it in the right direction.

Newly hired executive vice president of basketball operations (and former Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas) and general manager Marc Eversley (former Philadelphia 76ers senior VP of player personnel) look to get this rebuild moving in the right direction for the first time in a while. John Paxson and Gar Forman weren’t really getting it anywhere during the 2019-20 regular season for the Bulls.

But where could Karnisovas, Eversley, and the Bulls look in this cycle of free agency to realistically build out a more complete rotation heading into the fourth year of the rebuild?

In his “Ask Sam Mailbag” on Sep. 14, Bulls team writer Sam Smith mentioned nearly a dozen potential free agent targets, with one in particular that sticks out to add depth to the backcourt rotation. That one target that stuck out among the big men that Smith mentioned in relation to the Bulls free agent possibilities was the Washington Wizards stretch forward Davis Bertans.

Here’s more on what Smith had to say on the matter of Bertans as a possible free agent target for the Bulls this offseason.

"I’d like to get one of the Morris brothers because the Bulls are missing that sort of toughness on the offensive end to take a big shot or force contact. Maybe if you can put together a deal for a young guy who can shoot as I do like Davis Bertans."

Bertans he a really solid inaugural season with head coach Scott Brooks and the Wizards. He played in 54 games during the 2019-20 regular season (starting in just four of them). Bertans averaged 15.4 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks. He shot 43.4 percent from the field, 42.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 85.2 percent from the free-throw line.

It would be really weird to see both Bertans and power forward Lauri Markkanen in the same rotation, potentially even the same starting five. But Bertans was a much better, and more consistent, shooter from deep than Markkanen. And Markkanen is better at putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim, so maybe they could play well off each other.

The Bulls finished up the 2019-20 season with a record of 22-43, good for 11th place in the final Eastern Conference standings. Management already parted ways with Forman, demoted Paxson, and also fired former head coach Jim Boylen.