In a group of the more underrated impending restricted free agents around the Central Division this summer you will find the former Boston Celtics and current Chicago Bulls defensive standout shooting guard Javonte Green. The Bulls landed Green during a busy day back on March 25 at the trade deadline, along with one other key Celtics player.
The other former Celtic that the Bulls landed back on deadline day was center Daniel Theis. And with both Theis and Green as impending free agents for this summer, the Bulls’ front office has some decisions to make about the investments they took on at the deadline.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley actually got some decent production down the stretch from Green after getting him as a support piece at the deadline. All the Bulls really had to give up to the Celtics to get the likes of Green and Theis were center Luke Kornet and flip Mo Wagner from the Washington Wizards.
If the Bulls do bring back Green heading into next season, it could be close to a minimum deal they get him on. Finding a solid defensive presence to round out the backcourt rotation in the third unit should likely start with Green. He’s an easy option for Karnisovas and the Bulls to add defensive stability on the perimeter for head coach Billy Donovan.
Strides shown by Chicago Bulls SG Javonte Green late this season
Green also showed strides that he hadn’t before on offense down the stretch with the Bulls. He averaged 11.5 points per 36 minutes, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks, during his 16 games played with the Bulls down the stretch. And he shot 45.2 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, and was perfect on 10 attempts from the free-throw line.
That resulted in Green registering a career-best 3.2 defensive box plus/minus, 58 true shooting percentage, and roughly .120 win shares per 48 minutes during his time with the Bulls.
Considering that Green isn’t likely to have many suitors in restricted free agency this summer, the Bulls could get him back without too much trouble. As long as there aren’t many other suitors that creep up for Green, there’s a good chance that he could be brought back on a minimum deal this summer.
The Bulls are likely to let the fifth-year shooting guard/wing Denzel Valentine walk this summer. Last fall, Valentine was brought back on a one-year deal out of restricted free agency. But he didn’t produce at the level desired for the Bulls during the regular season.
Green makes a lot of sense for the Bulls to bring back this summer. But that also seemed to be the case last offseason for the Bulls when defensive standout guards Kris Dunn and Shaquille Harrison were impending free agents and didn’t sign for much elsewhere. That didn’t stop Karnisovas and the Bulls from easily letting them walk.
Some of the other impending free agents that the Bulls have for this summer are fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen, big man Cristiano Felicio, Theis, and potentially point guard Ryan Arcidiacono.
The Bulls finished up last season with a record of 31-41 under the first-year head coach Donovan. That wound up in the Bulls missing out on the postseason for the fourth straight year. More change is likely to be on the horizon this offseason for Karnisovas and the Bulls.