3 Free agency signings that will hurt Bulls’ rivals, 4 that will help them
By Tyler Watts
2. Knicks overpay DiVincenzo
Donte DiVincenzo declined his $4.7 million player option with the Golden State Warriors to become an unrestricted free agent after averaging 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in 26.3 minutes per game. The Dubs knew they could not afford to keep him, but it was a bit surprising to see him get $50 million over the next four years from the New York Knicks.
DiVincenzo joins his Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart in the Big Apple, but how many minutes with the 6’4 guard get? Brunson averaged 35.0 per game last season and R.J. Barrett played nearly 34. Throw in 30 for Quentin Grimes, 29 for Immanuel Quickley, and nearly 30 for Josh Hart, and the playing time is gone at the one through three. Head coach Tom Thibodeau will find minutes for DiVincenzo, but enough to justify his $50 million deal?
The 26-year-old is making slightly less than the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, but it is still a hefty price to pay a backup guard without a need. The New York Knicks added a talented player, but the overpay could make them slightly worse in the long term and may cause playing time friction on their roster.
The Knicks were not the Bulls’ only Eastern Conference rival to overpay for a free-agent guard this summer.