One of the biggest problems that the Chicago Bulls face at this point of the offseason has to do with the overall numbers on the roster. The Bulls are now just up to 13 players on the roster if you include the second-year former Kansas Jayhawks point guard Devon Dotson in a two-way contract slow, following this latest round of official signings.
Unless the Bulls somehow are able to re-sign the restricted free agent and fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen this offseason, the numbers will sit at 13. Heading into Training Camp and the preseason, the front office needs to figure out how to plug these holes in the rotation.
Executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager Marc Eversley don’t have all that many numbers left on this roster from what it looked like in the latter days under John Paxson and Gar Forman. And to most, that is a good thing.
Chicago Bulls roster grows with new official signings of Devon Dotson, Javonte Green, and Tony Bradley
#Bulls officially announced signings of Tony Bradley, Javonte Green, Devon Dotson.
— Mike McGraw (@McGrawDHSports) August 19, 2021
--That makes 12 under contract + one two-way (Dotson). Only guys left from the day AK took the job are Zach LaVine and Coby White. (Lauri still in limbo, obv)
Yet, it is clear that the Bulls need to address the quantity problem on the roster ahead of the start of Training Camp and the preseason. With the Las Vegas NBA Summer League now concluded, one less time of evaluation is in the rearview mirror for Karnisovas, Eversley, and the Bulls.
Two of the more notable players that the Bulls officially signed this week, though, were the former Oklahoma City Thunder center Tony Bradley and Dotson. One of the two-way contract slots is now officially occupied for the second year in a row by Dotson.
Bradley looks to occupy the backup center spot in this frontcourt unit behind star Nikola Vucevic next season. The Bulls were able to ink Bradley to a one-year minimum contract this offseason. But there are still some big needs remaining to round out the frontcourt rotation, especially if Markkanen doesn’t return.
Although, the backcourt rotation does look to be pretty solid for Donovan heading into next season. The Bulls have depth at the point guard position alone behind Lonzo Ball with the likes of Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Dotson.
The other player that the Bulls were able to officially announce the signing of on Aug. 19 is the former Boston Celtics shooting guard Javonte Green. Karnisovas and the Bulls re-signed the defensive standout Green on a two-year deal this offseason.