Chicago Bulls: 3 players to avoid in free agency this offseason

2) Chicago Bulls free agent targets to avoid: Aron Baynes

If the Bulls are really looking to avoid buying high on a free agent big man that already has his stock trending down following a good start to the season that was, then they shouldn’t try to sign the 6-foot-10 and 260 pound 33-year-old center Aron Baynes. This sizable Gisborne, New Zealand, native really was able to breakthrough with the Phoenix Suns at the outset of the 2019-20 regular season.

But Baynes’ play did start to wane a bit as the season moved along. Baynes played in 42 games during the shortened 2019-20 regular season in his inaugural run with the Suns (28 of which he started in). And he averaged a career-best 11.5 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks. Baynes shot 48.0 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 74.7 percent from the free-throw line.

The 2013-14 NBA Champion started out his career in the league back during the 2012-13 campaign with the San Antonio Spurs. He played in bits and pieces of three seasons with the Spurs, and then two with the Detroit Pistons, two with the Boston Celtics, and then one with the Suns to round out the 2019-20 campaign.

Baynes is traditionally a strong rebounder and a decent stretch big man, but is also usually a pretty questionable defender. His defensive rating after the All-Star Break last season sat at 118. And a lot of his advanced metrics on the defensive end of the floor (defensive box plus/minus rating and defensive rating namely) have steadily decreased over the course of the last four years.

There will be an upgraded payday in store for Baynes in the very near future, but the Bulls don’t need a big man with the skill set that he brings to the table in this cycle of free agency.