Chicago Bulls: 3 free agent targets to replace Cristiano Felicio

2) Chicago Bulls free agent targets to replace Felicio: Christian Wood

One of the true breakthrough standout big men, on a team that wasn’t really that good (just like the Bulls) during the 2019-20 season, was the 6-foot-10 and 215 pound 25-year-old power forward Christian Wood. The former UNLV Rebels big man stood out for the Detroit Pistons in his first season playing with that team.

Wood really found a hot streak in just eight games played down the stretch during the 2018-19 season in an elevated role with the New Orleans Pelicans. And Wood definitely continued that momentum heading into the 2019-20 campaign. In those eight games played with the Pelicans in 2018-19 (two of which he started in), Wood averaged 16.9 points per game, 7.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.3 blocks.

And during the shortened 2019-20 regular season with the Pistons, Wood played in 62 games (starting in a dozen of them). He averaged 13.1 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks. And Wood shot 56.7 percent from the field, 38.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 74.4 percent from the free-throw line.

That helped Wood to register a 3.1 box plus/minus rating, 1.7 value over replacement player rating, .183 win shares per 48 minutes, 5.1 total win shares, 65.9 true shooting percentage, and a 23.2 player efficiency rating. Wood was just north of $1.5 million in each of the last two years. He is due for a significant pay day in this cycle of free agency.

Wood wouldn’t be the most natural replacement for Felicio in terms of the similarity in efficiency or playing time. But he would be able to significantly boost the frontcourt rotation as a whole.