Pass or Pursue: B/R proposes 3 veteran minimum free agents for Bulls

The NBA offseason is still far from over for the Chicago Bulls, who have plenty of work left to do to fill out their roster. With up to a maximum of three free agent spots left to fill (and an additional two-way contract spot), many fans are anxious to see just who the Bulls intend to sign. Fortunately, Bleacher Report provided us with a few potential options to look over in the meantime.

Although Chicago has up to three open roster spots, I’m going to work under the assumption that the Bulls intend to guarantee Carlik Jones’ contract for next season, considering he played very well for the team last year, didn’t get cut alongside Marko Simonovic, and has continued to join the team for dinners and was even spotted in Las Vegas supporting the Summer League roster. Similarly, I’m going to assume (and hope) that the Bulls don’t intend to let Ayo Dosunmu walk just yet, especially since he’s a restricted free agent and Chicago reserved the right to match competitive offers.

Working under those two assumptions. that leaves one spot left on the main roster left to fill. In what I’m sure will be news to Jerry Reinsdorf’s ears, the Bulls will also remain beneath the luxury tax threshold if they sign a player to the veteran minimum to fill that last spot. The Bulls do have the Disabled Player Exception from Lonzo Ball’s injury at their disposal, but doing so would push Chicago into the tax and we’ve thus far seen little reason to believe Reinsdorf will sign off on such a decision.

So with that in mind, are there even any interesting free agents still available for the veteran minimum. Well, B/R’s Zach Buckley weighed in on the subject, proposing three free agents the Bulls could sign for cheap to round out the roster. Let’s have a look at them now and evaluate whether or not they’d be a good move for the Bulls at this point in time.

Several interesting free agents remain for the Bulls to sign, even at the veteran minimum.

3. Austin Rivers

Buckley cites playoff experience and shooting ability as prime areas of need for the Bulls, and with that, I agree. Where he loses me, however, is when he suggests Austin Rivers as an ideal free agent target on a veteran minimum.

Rivers has been to the postseason 8 times, but only averaged 30 minutes or more in 2 of those years. His teams have gone 27-37 in the playoffs, and he’s 35.7% from deep in those games. That’s not terrible, but it’s not great either. Especially when he’d be joining an already stacked backcourt and would be the 6th best guard at best in Chicago’s rotation.

This is an extremely redundant move, pass.

Verdict: Pass