If the Chicago Bulls do pull the trigger on one last free agent signing, these are the players I’d be most excited to add to the roster.
3. Greg Brown III
Of all the players on this list, I have to be honest with you, Greg Brown III is not the third-best player of the bunch. The former No. 43 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is still extremely raw in several areas of the game, and there’s no telling if he’ll ever develop them properly. That being said, his incredible athleticism and above-the-rim play could make him the best player here one day if he properly grows his game out.
Brown III can jump through the roof and would have excellent leads to follow in Zach LaVine and Derrick Jones Jr on the Bulls. He’s not a defensive liability and his limited offensive game wouldn’t negatively impact Chicago, because all the Bulls would want from him in the first place is for him to continue doing what he’s best at — crashing the boards and racking up putback dunks. Brown’s upside should make him a very tempting option for a team desperate to improve in the low post.
2. Nerlens Noel
Moving on up to the No. 2 slot, and we see a massive leap in the current quality of players. In fact, Nerlens Noel is arguably the best free agent on the market right now, regardless of team need. As one of the league’s best interior defenders, Noel should no doubt draw interest from a variety of championship contenders after being bought out from Detroit earlier this week. I’m unsure of how he’d fit in Chicago with Vucevic and Drummond eating up the majority of minutes at center, but this may be one of those situations where you act fast and ask questions later. Noel is just a real difference-maker.
1. Juancho Hernangomez
Juancho Hernangomez joins Noel on the short list of players to recently hit waivers. Typically, being released from a team actively trying to win games is cause for concern, but context is important here. The Raptors were able to add an objectively better player in Will Barton by waiving Hernangomez and already had an overabundance of talent at power forward anyways, so this move balances their roster out and allows Juancho to search for greener pastures.
I know a true power forward must seem like a mythological creature by now for Bulls fans, but adding Hernangomez would finally fulfill that role for the Bulls for the first time in over two years. Chicago has already successfully implemented small ball schemes with three-guard lineups and posting DJJ at center, but the ability to play big when the matchup calls for it will be an absolute necessity in the playoffs. I’m not sure if the interest is mutual, but I would love to have Juancho come play for the Chicago Bulls.
And hey, if Hernangomez proves to be even half as good as his Hollywood counterpart Bo Cruz, I think all Bulls fans would be more than happy with that outcome.