Bulls Sleeper Contracts to Pursue in NBA Free Agency
The Chicago Bulls have plenty of work to be done in 2024 NBA free agency.
The question is just how much of it will be done externally.
Internally, there are huge big-picture players looming as potential pivot points for the franchise. If the front office continues opting against the rebuilding route, there might be a less than zero chance they'll let DeMar DeRozan leave. Conversely, while they have control over Patrick Williams' restricted free agency, there might be a price point at which they deem him unnecessary if they're in win-now mode.
All of that said, a club coming off back-to-back losing seasons clearly can't do all of its offseason shopping in-house, so the Bulls will surely be poking around for potential upgrades. They can't afford a big splurge without clearing considerable cap space first, so they'll be searching for cost-effective options, like perhaps the following three players.
Precious Achiuwa, New York Knicks
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With Andre Drummond headed to free agency, and Nikola Vučević seemingly never far from the trade rumor mill, it's possible big changes could be coming to Chicago's center rotation.
If the Bulls find themselves in the market for a new big, Precious Achiuwa could be a fun fit.
He is functionally an athletic energizer who can provide some protection at the rim and resistance away from it. His offensive bag is rather limited, but that may not be a big worry for this front office with the possibility that Coby White, DeMar DeRozan and, yes, Zach LaVine—maybe even, fingers crossed, Lonzo Ball—could once again be dominating the on-ball opportunities in the Windy City.
Achiuwa isn't enormous (6'8", 225 lbs), but he is bouncy as heck, strong enough to battle in the post and nimble on perimeter switches. He would give this position group a new look, if nothing else.
Buddy Hield, Philadelphia 76ers
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The volume of Chicago's three-point attack barely qualifies as audible. The Bulls just finished 27th in three-point makes, and that was actually their best ranking since attempting to build a big three with DeRozan, LaVine and Vučević in 2021.
And if Chicago finds a taker for LaVine—trading him reportedly remains their top priority, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times—it might lose its biggest three-point threat on the roster. This was largely a nightmare season for LaVine, and he still finished second on the team with 2.4 triples per tilt.
Shooting, it perhaps goes without saying, should be a top priority for this franchise, and few free agents are better capable of providing it than Buddy Hield.
The 31-year-old already cracked the Association's top 25 all-time in made threes while also converting a scorching 40 percent of his perimeter shots. Even if there aren't many other layers to his game, his floor-spacing is so elite that a team as desperate for shooting as Chicago almost has to give him serious consideration.
Kelly Oubre Jr., Philadelphia 76ers
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Catch a glance of Chicago's summer wish list, and you'd probably find items like athleticism, shot-making, length and size on the wings.
Kelly Oubre Jr. checks all of those boxes.
He is more of a streaky shooter than a reliable one, and his defensive impact doesn't always measure up to what his physical tools suggest it could be, but without these imperfections, he might be way outside of the Bulls' price range.
If he could be added at a reasonable pay rate, Chicago should be all over him. He understands how to contribute alongside more ball-dominant stars, and his scoring spurts can be game-changers when he is especially hot.
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