Chicago Bulls: 3 things that must be addressed in free agency

Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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Daniel Theis, Chicago Bulls
Daniel Theis, Chicago Bulls (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Chicago Bulls Free Agency Needs: Rim Protection

The Chicago Bulls would be smart to prioritize bringing in a strong backup center to play behind Nikola Vucevic. While Vooch is obviously a featured player for them and that could mean any addition gets somewhat limited playing time, it is an important part in covering for his weaknesses.

Ideally, the addition would be someone who could more often than not also play alongside Vooch. That makes impending free agent Daniel Theis a great fit but it seems likely he will at least see what he demands on the open market.

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The Bulls can’t overpay for this need so Theis may be out of the picture quickly. He should be atop the teams’ list of targets but if the price is too high they can find another player that does similar things for a more team-friendly contract.

The main thing they need from this frontcourt rotational target is a defensive presence at the rim. It doesn’t matter if it comes as a shot blocker or simply someone who excels in contesting shots at the rim without fouling.

Their roster will enter free agency with no one under contract that does either of those things even decently. That is a major issue because it’s a massive weakness in the game of the offensively dominant Vucevic.

The team traded away big man Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline as he wasn’t panning out in Chicago. It now must be asked why he wasn’t working with the Bulls after the performances he has been consistently having for the Washington Wizards.

A big man who can play either the four or five and is a strong defender, specifically at the rim, is a key target for the Chicago Bulls in free agency.