Free agents the Chicago Bulls could sign in Nikola Vucevic’s absence: Aron Baynes
If you look at all of the aspects of Vucevic’s game that are important to the Bulls, especially on the offensive end of the floor, that the team is now missing, there is one solid free agent target that the front office could have in mind. A lot of what Vucevic does well for the Bulls on offense is something that the team could get in bits and pieces from the veteran big man Aron Baynes.
I’ve been a fan of the idea of executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager Marc Eversley going out to sign Baynes to round out this frontcourt unit since the start of Training Camp and the preseason two months ago. And Baynes is still available if a team like the Bulls wanted to make a move to sign him.
Moreover, Baynes moves well off-ball, is adept at setting screens, and rolling to the rim. Where the Bulls are struggling to make it all work in the pick-and-roll and dribble-handoff with the likes of Bradley and/or Johnson coming out to the perimeter, Baynes could add a to of value to Donovan’s offense.
Baynes also has some strengths in his game that would be more of a positive defensive boost for this team down low compared to what Vooch brings to the table.
In his nine-year run in the NBA, Baynes became an increasingly efficient rebounder, floor spacer, and rim protector. Those are all strengths to Baynes’ game that could still help the Bulls even when Vucevic returns to the starting unit.