Chicago Bulls: Caleb Agada would be intriguing addition for camp

The time is drawing close for the Chicago Bulls to find who the team can add to the Training Camp and preseason roster for what is left of the offseason. On Sep. 28, the Bulls will begin Training Camp. And then, the preseason slate opens up at home at the United Center on Oct. 5 against the divisional foe Cleveland Cavaliers.

There are at least still a couple of spots remaining for the Bulls to fill out on the roster ahead of Training Camp and the preseason. The Bulls do have the former Oregon State Beavers combo guard Ethan Thompson signed down to an EXHIBIT-10 contract, and point guard Devon Dotson is on a two-way contract.

But there is still one more two-way contract slot open, and some additional room for the camp roster. It’s yet to be known how long the Bulls are planning on keeping Thompson around too.

A name that could be an interesting addition for the Bulls roster in Training Camp and the preseason is the Hapoel Beer Sheva guard and Denver Nuggets Summer League participant Caleb Agada. The Ottawa, Canada, native Agada was pretty impressive for the Nuggets in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League slate.

Caleb Agada a gripping option for the Chicago Bulls’ Training Camp roster

But no one has signed Agada down to an actual contract following his solid showing in Vegas.

In five games played (two of which he started in) with the Nuggets in Summer League, Agada averaged 11.2 points per game, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and no blocks. And he shot 41.2 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from beyond the arc, and hit on both of his attempts from the free-throw line.

Agada also shot nearly 45 percent from beyond the arc on more than five attempts from downtown per game.

He was an efficient shooter, rebounder, and on-ball defender in this five-game run with the Nuggets in Summer League. He registered a steal percentage north of five and a defensive rebounding percentage north of 15.

This all came for Agada following an efficient run playing in Israel during the 2020-21 season. In nearly two dozen games played with Hapoel Beer Sheva last season, Agada averaged 22.2 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks. And he shot 43.1 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 78.2 percent from the free-throw line.

Agada could be a solid option that could really use this Training Camp opportunity with the Bulls. At 26 years of age, Agada won’t have many chances yet to make his way in the NBA. But he definitely proved he at least deserves a shot this coming season to make an impact on some NBA roster.

If the Bulls want to add a low-risk guard that could potentially occupy the other contract slot ahead of the start of next season, Agada definitely deserves consideration. He could add a good two-way presence to the backcout unit. And if he’s able to shoot with the same effectiveness that he did with the Nuggets during Summer League, then he would be a nice fit for head coach Billy Donovan’s system.

The closest thing that Agada had to NBA action was in Summer League with the Nuggets. He’s played most of the rest of his professional basketball career overseas in Israel and in Canada.