1. Mo Bamba
After being only sparingly used by the Los Angeles Lakers, Mo Bamba is now a free agent after his team did not guarantee his $10.3 million salary. Bamba came into the league with tremendous potential as the 6th overall pick in 2018, after an unbelievable freshman season with Texas, where he averaged 3.7 blocks per game. Bamba was projected to be a top rim protector in the NBA, but injuries have plagued his career, as he has played 63+ games just once in his first 5 seasons. This has led Bamba to likely go to his third NBA team, which is not how he would have hoped the beginning of his career would go.
Mo Bamba has previously expressed interest in playing for the Chicago Bulls, and they have emerged as a front-runner to sign the 7-footer. The Bulls should definitely take a chance on Bamba, as he is likely going to go for a cheap contract this offseason and provides athleticism, rim protection, and three-point shooting that the Chicago Bulls could definitely use. In Mo Bamba’s 2021-22 season, his largest body of work, he averaged 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game in 25.7 minutes. He also did this on 48/38/78 shooting splits, which are very encouraging for the Bulls as he would be an efficient scorer who can stretch the floor, allowing Nikola Vucevic to play in the paint on offense.
Bamba would also be the perfect complement to Vucevic on the defensive end, as he has proven to be a really solid defender and rim protector. This is something that the Chicago Bulls have needed for several seasons, and Bamba would be able to bring this on a cheap contract. Bamba has a rare combination of shooting and rim protection that the team could tremendously benefit from.
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If the Chicago Bulls have the chance to sign Mo Bamba for cheap, they should definitely pursue that opportunity. While he does have risks associated with his health, he is a player that the Bulls should take a chance on. Because the Bulls have doubled down on Nikola Vucevic as their center, they need to sign a tall forward that complements him well. If Bamba lives up to his potential, he will be the exact big man that Chicago is looking for to propel them to contender status.