Tag: NBA Free Agency

Kelly Oubre Jr. listed as potential top Bulls target in free agency

Kelly Oubre Jr. was listed as a potential Chicago Bulls free agency target.

This season is set in stone for the Chicago Bulls. Their roster isn’t going to change (barring a buyout market addition), and they seem destined to finish as a Play-In team with a chance at making the playoffs. That’s where the front office wanted to be, so that’s where they will be.

But this summer, they will have a chance to improve the roster in hopes of competing more effectively next year. They should be looking to address some of the weaknesses on their roster, one of which being their lack of consistent three-point shooting. There could be some decent options in free agency this summer.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report suggested that they target Kelly Oubre Jr. in free agency.

“The Chicago Bulls should have the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception,” Bailey wrote. “If they continue to chug along in the middle of the Eastern Conference rather than rebuild (another quiet trade deadline suggests that’s in play), Oubre would be a solid option.

“The outside shot is still inconsistent, but Oubre has adapted to his role as a fourth or fifth option for the Philadelphia 76ers. He makes timely cuts and knows his touches don’t take priority over the stars’. His 7’3″ wingspan gives him positional versatility too.”

Oubre could be a big help in Chicago.

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LeBron James listed as top potential free agency target for Spurs

LeBron James was recently listed as a hypothetical San Antonio Spurs target in free agency.

The San Antonio Spurs have a big future ahead of them. With Victor Wembanyama in place, they should be projected to be in the playoff race for the foreseeable future… they just have to get past the current season. San Antonio isn’t going to be a postseason squad this season, but they could make some big-time moves this offseason.

If they play their cards right, they could open up a max contract spot, and while they may be better off spreading out their money and adding multiple rotation pieces, they could go all out. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report recently wrote a list of every team’s top three targets, and he put down three huge names for San Antonio.

The top of the list? LeBron James.

“And just imagine for a moment the possibility of Victor Wembanyama’s development being accelerated by the presence of LeBron on the roster,” Bailey wrote.

“He’d instantly solve the (often self-imposed) point guard crisis in San Antonio, while showing Wemby the blueprint for navigating over-the-top hype up close.”

Whether or not James picks up his player option this summer will obviously determine his availability, but seeing him a Spurs uniform would be crazy.

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Andre Drummond talks free agency plans, potential future with Bulls

Andre Drummond recently spoke about his free agency plans and potential future with the Chicago Bulls.

The trade deadline has come and gone, and for the third straight season, the Chicago Bulls chose to do nothing. Rather than selling assets and planning for the future, Arturas Karnisovas committed to pushing for the postseason despite the fact that Chicago likely has no realistic chance of a deep playoff run.

The most confusing part of the decision is the fact that some of Chicago’s guys will be free agents this summer. DeMar DeRozan and Andre Drummond will have the option to leave in free agency this offseason, and the Bulls would get nothing back in return. They could have traded them both.

Drummond recently spoke about his free agency plans and a potential return to the Bulls. (H/t KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago)

“I’m excited to see what happens in the offseason. Whatever team sees me as an asset, I’m ready. Obviously, I’m here now, and I love it here. I would love to be here still,” Drummond said. “That’s why my main focus is on finishing out the year strong and making some noise in the playoffs.”

The veteran big man has given the Bulls some valuable minutes this season.

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Austin Reaves was intrigued by Victor Wembanyama pairing on Spurs

Austin Reaves was interested in the San Antonio Spurs in free agency partially due to the idea of playing with Victor Wembanyama.

The San Antonio Spurs had a relatively quiet offseason outside of selecting Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. They made a few small trades and added some veterans to the roster, but for the most part, they’ll be bringing back the same core as last year. However, they were in the mix for a few high-profile free agents.

When free agency was opened, the Spurs were rumored to be interested in Austin Reaves, though they didn’t make him an official offer. Reports indicated that the Spurs hesitated to offer Reaves a deal as they were afraid the Los Angeles Lakers would just match it. Reaves ended up going back to LA, but he recently admitted he was intrigued by the idea of playing with Wembanyama.

During an appearance on “The Lowe Post,” Reaves told Zach Lowe of ESPN that he wondered what it would have been like if he could have played with Wembanyama. (H/t Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report)

“You know, you hear things, and obviously with Wembanyama, like, you know so much upside with him, you know, your mind kind of just wonders into that basketball world what that would be like,” Reaves said.

Reaves enjoyed a breakout postseason run with the Lakers last season, as well as a solid run with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup this summer.

Adding him to the roster would have given Wembanyama a great starting point guard to build with moving forward, but ultimately, Reaves rejoined the Lakers and will look to help LeBron James and Anthony Davis push for a championship.

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Will Bulls regret letting Christian Wood sign with Lakers?

Will the Chicago Bulls regret letting Christian Wood sign with the Los Angeles Lakers?

Despite their lack of success last season, the Chicago Bulls didn’t make many significant changes to their roster this summer. Instead of seriously shaking up their core group, they decided to simply make minor tweaks around the edges, adding two veterans to the rotation – Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig.

And while both guys will certainly boost the Bulls’ play on both ends, there are questions as to whether or not that will be enough to propel them to the postseason. Christian Wood was a name thrown around as a potential Bulls target, but he just recently signed with the Los Angeles Lakers instead.

The CHGO Bulls podcast of CHGO Sports discussed whether or not the Bulls should act been more proactive in chasing Wood rather than letting him go to LA.

In his lone season with the Dallas Mavericks this past year, Wood averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. However, inconsistent effort on the defensive end led to him earning fewer minutes than expected in Jason Kidd’s rotation.

The veteran big man was not signed during the first few waves of NBA free agency, leaving him fighting for scraps by the end of the offseason. He ultimately landed with the Lakers on a two-year deal for the league minimum.

As things stand, the Bulls only have two centers on the roster, Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond, with rookie Adama Sanogo on a two-way contract.

Despite his defensive issues, do you think the Bulls should have signed Wood in free agency?

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Pascal Siakam pegged as potential Spurs free agency target in 2024

Should the San Antonio Spurs try to sign Pascal Siakam in 2024 free agency?

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The San Antonio Spurs have a new organizational goal – build a championship-caliber team around Victor Wembanyama. They picked the 19-year-old Frenchman with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He’s the most hyped-up prospect since LeBron James and projects to be one of the best players in the league.

While the Spurs didn’t make any major additions to the roster this summer, they’ll have a chance to add serious help next summer. They should still have a solid amount of cap space and will have the necessary assets to make trades, too. Sam LaFrance of Air Alamo recently suggested the idea of San Antonio targeting Pascal Siakam next summer.

He believes Siakam would bring star power and championship experience to the Spurs.

“The 29-year-old is coming off of a solid season in Toronto. He suited up in 71 games for the Raptors, playing about 37.4 minutes each time. Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, while shooting 48.0% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc.

“Though his touch from distance could use work, those are some numbers that San Antonio would gladly pay for. If they were to pursue Siakam, they’d probably have to offer a three or four year contract worth $120-150 million.

“It’s a steep price tag, but the Cameroonian would bring added championship experience to a young Spurs team,” LaFrance wrote.

If the Spurs have the money to make an offer and Siakam would be interested in sticking around long-term, should they try to bring in the two-time All-Star next offseason?

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3 players Bulls should have signed in NBA free agency

Here are three players the Chicago Bulls should have signed in NBA free agency this summer.

The Chicago Bulls decided to push forward this summer rather than peel back. After completely changing the outlook of their team two years ago, they’ve enjoyed middling success, having won just one playoff game with their new look core. In turn, they made an attempt to improve their roster this offseason.

In addition to retaining key players – Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu – they brought in two free agents. Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig are set to help Chicago revamp its roster by adding quality defensive play and, more importantly, high-level 3-point shooting. But were they the right choices? And more importantly, should Chicago have done more?

Let’s take a look back at NBA free agency and reflect on three players the Bulls should have signed either in addition to Carter and Craig or instead of them.

3 players Spurs should have signed in NBA free agency

Here are three players the San Antonio Spurs should have looked to sign in NBA free agency.

Heading into the summer, all eyes were on the San Antonio Spurs, as they landed the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, allowing them to select Victor Wembanyama. But outside of that, they entered the offseason with heaps of cap space. They didn’t end up using it in free agency, though, instead adding various players via trades.

But should they have attempted to add pieces in free agency? Should they have looked to add core pieces around Wembanyama in hopes of fielding a competitive roster? In the end, they are probably better off sticking with their guys and developing their young talent, but it’s intriguing to think about what could have been.

Here are three free agents the Spurs should have signed this offseason.

Bulls star Nikola Vucevic labeled free agency ‘winner’

Nikola Vucevic was listed as one of the biggest Chicago Bulls “winners” in free agency.

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The Chicago Bulls were a very active team in free agency, adding key depth pieces and retaining their own players. They brought in Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig to help solidify their bench and re-signed Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and, most importantly, big man Nikola Vucevic.

Vucevic earned himself a three-year, $60 million extension with Chicago. The veteran center played in all 82 games for the Bulls this past year and has been a double-double machine for the majority of his career. While keeping him around means the Bulls are committing to their current, likely mid-tier, core, the contract is a win for Vucevic.

According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, Vucevic is one of the biggest Bulls “winners” from free agency.

“Entering free agency, Nikola Vučević’s earnings potential seemed uncertain. While he’d had a mostly productive two-plus-season stint in Chicago, it was unclear how the market would react to a 32-year-old center with fairly severe defensive limitations and a so-so outside shot.

“Yet, the Bulls seemingly felt he was enough of a flight risk to prevent his free-agency venture altogether and instead hand him a three-year, $60 million extension before the market opened. Had he hit free agency, it’s hard to imagine he would’ve done any better. It’s possible he would’ve done worse, so that’s a win in itself.

“Beyond that, though, he picked up another win with the fact that Chicago otherwise left its center rotation untouched.

“Andre Drummond picked up his player option, but he wasn’t a major threat to Vučević’s floor time this past season. In fact, the Montenegrin logged more minutes than he had at any point of his Bulls’ tenure (33.5 per game). He has no obvious reason to expect to see a reduction this time around,” Buckley wrote.

Was re-signing Vucevic the right move for the Bulls?

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Signing Jevon Carter dubbed biggest win for Bulls this offseason

Signing Jevon Carter was a massive win for the Chicago Bulls.

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When this past season ended, the Chicago Bulls committed to winning. Arturas Karnisovas stated the team had no interest in rebuilding, meaning it would push to get back to the playoffs after they were bounced in the play-in tournament.

They looked to add to their roster in free agency while retaining key pieces. Chicago re-signed Nikola Vucevic, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu and brought in Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter in free agency. The former of those two free-agency additions is expected to step into the starting point guard role.

According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, signing Carter was the Bulls’ biggest win of the offseason.

“Carter made our early “best value free agents” list before free agency started, as the veteran point guard is the perfect complement to stars with his defense, three-point shooting and ability to play on or off the ball.

“Chicago was smart to add him to a backcourt that will once again be without Lonzo Ball, as Carter can start at point guard or be a key rotation player off the bench to mix and match with guys like Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso.

“The Bulls can certainly use his 42.2 percent three-point shooting and playmaking ability. Getting Carter for under $20 million over three years was a great signing,” Swartz wrote.

The 27-year-old point guard is a staunch defender who will also help the Bulls’ 3-point shooting woes.

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