The roster is starting to form together for the Chicago Bulls heading into Training Camp, with shooting guard/wing Adam Mokoka getting a two-way contract.
As of the afternoon of Nov. 23, the Chicago Bulls look to be in a position where the roster is starting to round out. Still early in this cycle of free agency this offseason, the Bulls have mostly held steady and kept a similar roster build to what they had at hand last season. That is a bit confusing to a lot of Bulls fans, but we’ll just see how this strategy plans out under the direction of newly hired executive vice president of basketball operations (and former Denver Nuggets general manager) Arturas Karnisovas.
One of the biggest storylines heading into this offseason (specifically this cycle of free agency) for the Bulls was what they would do with players that had their contracts running up. The Bulls had four impending free agent guards that they had to make decisions on this offseason.
It appears that the two guards that the Bulls are letting go this offseason are the defensive stopper Kris Dunn and breakthrough combo guard Shaquille Harrison. The Atlanta Hawks already signed Dunn to a two-year contract (with a player option for the 2021-22 season) worth around $10 million. Harrison is still on the free agent market as of the early afternoon on Nov. 23.
That leaves two that the Bulls are looking to bring back heading into next season.
According to the latest update of the NBA’s official transaction log, the Bulls have officially brought back to-be second-year shooting guard/wing Adam Mokoka on a two-way contract. It does appear that the two-way contract slots for the Bulls will be held by Mokoka and former Kansas Jayhawks point guard Devon Dotson.
The other impending free agent guard that the Bulls had to decide on this offseason, former Michigan State Spartans 27-year-old 6-foot-4 shooting guard Denzel Valentine, also looks to return heading into next season.
However, what the Bulls are getting back in the mix next season in Mokoka is a potent shooting guard/wing that could be solid for them on both ends of the floor. Mokoka did show some promising flashes in bits and pieces last season.
He played in 11 games with the Bulls during the shortened 2019-20 regular season (none of which he started in). And Mokoka averaged 2.9 points per game, 0.9 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.4 steals. He shot 42.9 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 50.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Mokoka split last season between the Bulls big league team and the G-League affiliate Windy City Bulls. He’s got a promising defensive game and has the physical tools to contend with a lot of other players in similar positions as him on both ends of the floor.