Grading every Bulls 2021 free agency signing one year later

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Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball, Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Lonzo Ball Grade: B+

The addition of Lonzo Ball provided help where the Bulls needed it most this year. Playmaking. Shooting. Perimeter Defense. You name it, Lonzo stepped up and become this team’s first definitive franchise point guard since Derrick Rose. However, when the Bulls signed Lonzo they knew of the injury history that has followed him his entire career. When he’s playing, Lonzo’s contract is very good value. But when he’s injured, his $20 million+ in salary becomes a significant dead weight to a team that can’t afford to lose him for a potential championship run.

Alex Caruso Grade: A+

When the news broke that the Bulls were signing Alex Caruso with the MLE, I’ll admit I was a little disappointed. I was a naive fan who wanted nothing more than a reunion with Derrick Rose as the Bulls’ primary reserve guard. Now, I want nothing more than for Alex Caruso to spend the rest of his career in Chicago.

Caruso’s incredible basketball IQ, playmaking ability, defensive hustle, and unselfish attitude are exactly the type of things that rub off on others in a championship-level locker room. While not the most prolific move the Bulls made last summer, signing Caruso is arguably the most impactful the team made.

Tony Bradley Grade: D

For a team in desperate need of the things a “traditional center” does, it’s very telling that Tony Bradley isn’t a larger piece of the Bulls rotation. He wasn’t terrible this year and we’ve certainly seen worse big men in recent memory (looking at you Cristiano Felicio), but the sooner Chicago moves on from Bradley the better. Considering his minimal price tag, it’s hard to be too mad about this signing. Nonetheless, giving Bradley a player option was an unfortunate decision.

Javonte Green Grade: A

Often overlooked in the three-team trade that sent Daniel Gafford to Washington in return for Troy Brown Jr. and Daniel Theis, it was Javonte Green that ended up being the best acquisition from that deal. His high energy has rubbed off on the rest of the team and he has found a way to make himself useful whenever he’s on the court. When this team’s fully healthy Green will no longer be forced into a starting role, but he’s a fantastic addition to the bench on a minimum contract.