The Chicago Bulls have continued to fortify their once-thin wing unit after extending a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Emanuel Miller, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
The Scarborough, Ontario, native signed a two-way contract with the Bulls back in December, three days after Christmas. Miller spent most of his time with Chicago's G-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, averaging 16.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
In six appearances with the big league team, Miller totaled 10 points, eight rebounds, and two assists in 25 minutes of action. Upon being tendered a restricted free agent offer, the 25-year-old's return to the Windy City is all but likely.
Chicago has added Miller to a still-growing group of forwards
Upon tendering Miller, the Bulls roster is now flush with forwards, including Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, Kevin Huerter, Isaac Okoro, Julian Phillips, and Patrick Williams. This revelation comes a season after the Bulls routinely trotted out Zach LaVine and Ayo Dosunmu at small, and even power forward.
While Miller is far down the pecking order, he's an intriguing player in the mix. The 6-foot-7 forward is a tweener, capable of playing both the three and the four, and suiting up at the five in a pinch. Miller stands 6-foot-7, but plays much bigger than his height and weight (215 pounds) would suggest.
The TCU product is a terrific rebounder who brought down 7.5 boards per game, splitting time between the Windy City Bulls and Texas Legends. Although not a primary rim protector, the athletic wing displayed some shot-blocking chops, racking up 43 rejections in 41 G-League appearances.
Perhaps most importantly, Miller is an opportunistic scorer who excels in a low-usage role. He doesn't require the ball in his hands to make an impact. He's a reliable spot-up shooter, an intelligent cutter, and a hard worker on the offensive glass. Miller is the ideal 15th player on any roster.
Defensively, Miller is capable of defending three positions. He's strong enough to take on bigs and nimble enough to defend guards in space. The 6-foot-7 forward led the Windy City squad in "stocks.", with 2.5 per contest. Miller was one of 18 G-Leaguers to average more than a steal and a block per game.
With Miller now a restricted free agent, he'll suit up for the Bulls' Summer League team in July. The 25-year-old will team up with recent draftees, Essengue and Lachlan Olbrich, and potential Buzelis, who is said to be in Las Vegas during the festivities. Miller and the rest of the Bulls' Summer League squad will square off against the Toronto Raptors on July 11.