Bulls' 2023 Free-Agent Big Board, Top Players to Target
It's hard to tell exactly what the Chicago Bulls will chase during the 2023 NBA offseason, since they might blow things up try to stay competitive with this core.
Either way, one thing is certain: They do no want a repeat of the 2022-23 season.
The Bulls, who've had what they feel is a win-now Big Three, finished with a losing record and couldn't escape the play-in tournament. They've said they won't tear down the team, but couple these struggles with Lonzo Ball's ongoing injury issues, and you really have to wonder where this is even supposed to be headed.
They could still try adding talent this summer, though any big expenditures would ideally be made on players they can keep a while. That might mean 32-year-old Nikola Vučević lands lower than you'd think on the priority list, which should be headlined by the following three players.
3. Jakob Poeltl
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The Bulls need a paint protector in the worst kind of way, and that just so happens to be the specialty of Jakob Poeltl.
He'd land even higher on the list if it seemed likely Chicago could afford him, but the fit appears so perfect that the Bulls should at least make the effort.
He blocks shots, he rebounds and he can survive a perimeter switch when needed. He plays sound defense and could be a tone-setter for this team at that end. On offense, he doesn't need touches and sets solid screens, both of which would help him fit a Bulls offense that had the second-highest percentage of offensive possessions finished by pick-and-roll ball-handlers, per NBA.com.
Add in the fact Poeltl is only 27, and he's someone who could hang around the Windy City for a while. You can debate whether he's more talented than Vučević, but Poeltl pretty clearly is the better fit for this roster.
2. Coby White
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Credit Coby White for planting himself prominently in this discussion.
This time last year, it felt like Chicago would prioritize his trade out of town. Then, he suddenly sneaked a bunch of improvements into a season that was, on the surface, the least productive of his career.
Flip from the stat sheet to the film, though, and you'll see the strides he made as a distributor and defender. This was the clearest indication yet he could become more than a spark-plug scorer off the bench. With his career trajectory suddenly pointing straight up, this would be the wrong time for the Bulls to let him go.
And they don't have to. He's a restricted free agent, meaning they'll have the right of refusal on any offer sheet he signs. That means they can search around for backcourt upgrades while White's market materializes and then match anything he lands within reason.
1. Gabe Vincent
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The Bulls need to pivot off the idea of Lonzo Ball ever being their point guard again. Obviously, they can hope for the best and find him a spot if his body ever cooperates, but waiting an indefinite amount of time on his recovery just isn't a sensible strategy.
Should Chicago enter the point guard market in free agency, Gabe Vincent belongs atop the wish list. He may not have the loudest stats or the flashiest game, but he competes on every possession at both ends and keeps proving himself under basketball's brightest lights.
The Miami Heat don't make the Eastern Conference Finals without him. There have been nights—yes, plural—where he has looked like Miami's best player. He had a four-game stretch between the first and second rounds during which he averaged 18.3 points and 6.0 assists against 1.8 turnovers. In Game 3 of the conference finals, he netted a game-high 29 points while shooting 11-of-14 from the field and 6-of-9 from three.
His competitive fire and selflessness could help him change the culture in Chicago. It's hard to put a price tag on that, but it's likely less than what he'll cost since his counting categories rarely jump off the page.
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