NBA news: Much like the Milwaukee Bucks, the Chicago Bulls also made some considerably big moves in the offseason. Their most high-profile decision came in the form of Nikola Vucevic’s three-year, $60 million extension as Chicago made it clear that they are not yet ready to pull the plug on the 6-foot-10 center.
Apart from Vucevic, the Bulls also signed former Bucks guard Jevon Carter to a three-year deal worth $10 million — a decision that has been deemed as an excellent move by at least one NBA analyst.
NBA News: Bulls Get B+ Grade for Adding Jevon Carter
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report provided a comprehensive analysis of Chicago’s offseason moves thus far. Among the bunch, their acquisition of Jevon Carter via NBA free agency scored the highest mark with a very respectable B+.
According to Buckley, the Bulls’ decision to sign the 6-foot-1 point guard indicates their desire to try and replicate what Lonzo Ball brings to the table for them. With Ball set to miss another season, Carter has emerged as a potential 1-for-1 replacement, albeit at an entirely different level:
“Low-maintenance offense and high-energy defense is a formula that made Ball such an impactful fit before his knee betrayed him in January 2022. Carter should fit into that blueprint and could prove to be a much more significant signing than his salary suggests,” Buckley wrote.
Carter, who averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists for the Bucks last season, is obviously no Lonzo Ball. However, given their limitations, Carter is not a bad Plan B.
NBA News: Nikola Vucevic’s $60 Million Extension Gets B- Grade
The Chicago Bulls gave up a major haul when they traded for Nikola Vucevic two years ago. His Big 3 with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine hasn’t exactly panned out as expected, but at this point, the Bulls aren’t ready to give up just yet. In fact, they still see Vucevic as their long-term solution at the center position.
For his part, Buckley doesn’t necessarily see this decision as one that Chicago will instantly regret. However, the analyst questions if perhaps the Bulls could have let Vucevic explore free agency first before deciding to pay him that much money.
“The thought process of wanting to keep him is relatively easy to follow. The willingness to pay him an average annual salary of $20 million is harder to buy. It isn’t an egregious overpay, but you wonder if Chicago could’ve saved some coin by letting him gauge his value before coming to an agreement to return,” Buckley reports.
A B- isn’t bad. It isn’t very good either. Whatever the case might be, the Bulls are stuck with Vooch for the next three years. Whether or not this is a good thing or not is a subjective matter.
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