Buyout market candidates the Chicago Bulls should avoid: Enes Freedom
It looks like the Bulls are likely done trying to get any help they would otherwise need in their frontcourt unit. After adding Thompson last week off the buyout market, it wouldn’t make much sense for them to go after another piece such as the former Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers big man Enes Freedom.
Freedom is the lone big man remaining on the buyout market at this point after the Trail Blazers signed the former San Antonio Spurs power forward/center Drew Eubanks to a 10-day contract earlier this week. That actually leaves Freedom and the former Houston Rockets veteran point guard D.J. Augustin as the two remaining notable players available on the buyout market right now.
Nonetheless, Freedom could serve value to a team that needs a reserve big man that can just efficiently put the ball in the basket from anywhere within 10 feet of the rim. The problem with the fit between Freedom and the Bulls, though, is the fact that he doesn’t check many of the boxes that this team was looking to fill with whatever frontcourt help they added since the trade deadline.
Thompson does give the Bulls a quality big man that can be a capable backup center, a solid inside scorer, and an efficient rebounder on both ends of the floor. While Thompson isn’t necessarily the most terrifying defensive center ever to play in the NBA, he certainly has positive aspects to his game on that end of the floor. And there aren’t a whole lot of positives that you realistically get out of the defensive game of Freedom.
There is a great chance that Freedom gets signed to a playoff contender down the stretch this season and can contribute right away. The Bulls just aren’t the right fit for him.