For the most part, the Chicago Bulls' offseason business has come to an end.
They've filled out their roster with both young and veteran talent. While they likely won't be competitive in an increasingly daunting Eastern Conference, they have the right mix of talent to maximize what's left to them in the NBA's new '3-2-1' lottery system, and they still have a 15th roster spot available.
If they want to take a gamble on a young talent with that roster flexibility, it might not be a bad bet. As Marc Stein reported earlier this week, the Bulls— along with the New Orleans Pelicans— are the two suitors that have registered interest in restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin of the Los Angeles Clippers.
It's likely not the right swing to take at this time. Adding Mathurin in a sign-and-trade would likely cost more resources than the gamble is worth, and restricted free agents often cause complications in negotiations. With that being said, though, there's a world where Chicago is a dream landing spot for Mathurin— at least in terms of the system and the vision that the organization has implemented this offseason.
Bennedict Mathurin should be hoping the Bulls stay in the race for a sign-and-trade
Mathurin, who is entering his fifth NBA season, was moved to the Clippers in the now-infamous trade that brough Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers. Mathurin wasn't the premier asset in that deal (the Pacers' top-four protected first-round selection was), but he wasn't a negative asset, either. Los Angeles saw some value in keeping Mathurin on for at least the end of the regular season and seeing if he might be a part of their young core moving forward.
Mathurin averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field over the 26 games he spent with the Clippers.
Even if Los Angeles and Mathurin are far apart on a contract number, it's unlikely they'll be willing to just dump him this offseason. His upside as a slashing wing and a bundle of offensive energy off the bench can't simply be ignored.
But in order to maximize his role in the NBA, Mathurin needs to improve both as an on-ball defender and a perimeter shooter. Chicago is in the process of implementing a system that can make that happen.
Under new lead executive Bryson Graham, the Bulls have preached a vision of instilling athleticism and defense into their young core and complementing them with pieces that excel in those areas. They doubled down on this by adding Tiago Splitter as their next head coach, who has serious developmental chops both in Europe and across his five seasons as an NBA coach.
Mathurin won't ever be a creator and an offensive hub like Deni Avdija, whom Splitter maximized last season during his stint with the Portland Trail Blazers. But assuming 3-point shooting is off the table, a player of his archetype is maximized through his defensive impact. If Mathurin becomes a player you can consistently keep on the floor during the playoffs, that would be a major developmental victory.
'SLAM' is more than just a modus operandi for player acquisition. It is the vision the organization wants to implement in its development, and Splitter is the right coach to mold these young, athletic players according to that model.
Mathurin would need to compete with Isaac Okoro and Dailyn Swain for minutes on the wing, and that's part of why it doesn't seem like the right move at this time.
But the Bulls have enough roster flexibility and the right developmental mindset to turn Mathurin into something more than just a score-first forward— and that's what it will take for him to find his role in the NBA on his second contract.
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