Buyout market candidates to watch for the Chicago Bulls this summer: Cory Joseph
It would be unfair to say that the Detroit Pistons hold one of the NBA’s worst contracts with the veteran point guard Cory Joseph considering how it’s structured heading into next season. Joseph’s current contract is only partially guaranteed for next season. That makes the structure of his contract, and the value to his team, similar to that of Bulls combo guard Tomas Satoransky.
Joseph is still due a little north of $12 million for the final year of his current contract. But only part of that is guaranteed through the end of next season. The problem for Joseph in that regard is that it makes it easier for the Pistons to want to buy him out this summer in the midst of the rebuild they are going through.
The Pistons do hold the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. And the current school of thought among most NBA fans is that the Pistons will use the first overall pick on draft night to select the former Oklahoma State Cowboys superstar freshman point guard Cade Cunningham. That will leave one less spot in the backcourt rotation for a more expensive contract like that of Joseph.
If the Pistons do buy out Joseph, then the Bulls could be a solid landing spot for him. The Bulls might be able to buyout point guard Ryan Arcidiacono this summer, and Joseph would be a much more effective player to fill that spot in the rotation. Joseph definitely wouldn’t be the starting point guard of the future for the Bulls, but he could be a solid addition otherwise to the backcourt rotation.