Chicago Bulls: 5 free agents to target for frontcourt help

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Ian Mahinmi Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

4) Chicago Bulls FA targets for frontcourt help

Ian Mahinmi, Center

If Karnisovas and the Bulls decided to hypothetically seek out a veteran big man to fill their depth need in the frontcourt rotation in the near future, a top target on their list should be 6-foot-11 and 265 pound 34-year-old center Ian Mahinmi. While it seems like Mahinmi has been around in the NBA forever, a stop with the Bulls wouldn’t be the worst thing for this team.

The more veteran presence in the frontcourt rotation that can help out the likes of Markkanen and WCJ, likely the better this season. The Bulls could utilize a traditional big man that can hit the glass hard on both ends of the floor and set screens effectively in the pick-and-roll game too.

Mahinmi also brings a certain playoff and championship pedigree to the table that no one else really has on this Bulls team at the moment. He won his only NBA Championship back in 2011 under head coach Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs.

Moreover, Mahinmi has also played with three other teams in his NBA journey to date. Those three teams are the Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, and Washington Wizards.

The last team that Mahinmi played for was the Wizards, for four seasons, which rounded out last season. And during the shortened 2019-20 regular season, Mahinmi played in 38 games for the Wizards (all but five of which he started in). He also averaged 7.4 points per game, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks. Mahinmi shot 49.5 percent from the field, 19.2 percent from beyond the arc, and 61.9 percent from the free-throw line.

A traditional veteran big man doesn’t sound like a sexy move out off of the free agent market for the Bulls, but he could offer a lot of value to shore up the frontcourt depth and bring a valuable presence to the locker room.