- Home
- Pacers...
Pacers stud center available in free agency could be perfect fit for Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have a glaring need at center.
Assuming that the Bulls' new youth movement pushes Andre Drummond and Nikola Vučević out of Chicago (as had been widely reported), the Bulls will soon be left without a center on their depth chart.
There's no reason to panic.
There are plenty of centers available in free agency for Chicago to choose from; and while the list is not top-heavy with talent, the Bulls don't want to sign anyone who makes them too good in 2024-25, anyway.
Remember -- Chicago owns a top-10 protected pick in the loaded 2025 NBA Draft.
The Bulls should be looking to sign centers (yes, they need more than one) who are young, athletic, and relatively cheap.
It's for this very reason that James Wiseman would be a risk well worth taking for Chicago.
A far less risky, albeit more expensive center option for the Bulls in free agency is Jalen Smith, who declined his player option with the Indiana Pacers and will be an unrestricted free agent.
Smith, 24, satisfies the "young" and "athletic" prerequisites for Chicago at center, and while he'll demand a significant contract, it's because he's proven he can be a starter.
Smith's value is flying under the radar right now, especially given his youth. This is a guy who averaged 13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game on 53.1 percent shooting for the Pacers in 2021-22 after being traded by the Phoenix Suns in the middle of his second season.
If those are the numbers a 21-year-old Smith was putting up in limited playing time for Indiana (24.7 minutes per game), imagine his ceiling.
Indiana's Rick Carlisle -- one of the NBA's top head coaches -- certainly realizes how good Smith is. When the Pacers re-signed Smith to a two-year deal on July 1, 2022, Carlisle announced that Smith would start and declared him a vital part of Indiana's future.
Smith has shared time at center with the magnificent Myles Turner since then, and there's no doubt he can start for a team like Chicago.
For the Bulls, signing Smith would fit right into their rebuilding plans.
Like Josh Giddey, Smith would be stepping into a larger role in Chicago that his prior team's roster did not allow for.
More NBA: Bulls lottery pick makes surprising decision on first day with franchise
- https://www.msn.com/en-sg/sport/nba/pacers-stud-center-available-in-free-agency-could-be-perfect-fit-for-bulls/ar-BB1p7pBg?ocid=00000000
Related
No penalty points for a ball that disappears
An incident during the 2nd round of this weeks PGA Tour tournament in Detroit allowed us to discover a new subtlety in the rules of golf. It is possible to âloseâ your ball and not receive a penalty
SportRomania vs Netherlands: Euro 2024 prediction, kick-off time, team news, TV, live stream, h2h, odds today
Romania vs Netherlands: Euro 2024 prediction, kick-off time, team news, TV, live stream, h2h, odds today - Tough draw for surprise Group E winners
SportEuro 2024: Quarter-final fixtures, last-16 results, knockout schedule, group standings
Euro 2024: Quarter-final fixtures, last-16 results, knockout schedule, group standings - European Championship down to the final ten teams
SportWilliams announce driver change with Logan Sargeant set to miss Silverstone session
There will be a change of driver in the Williams garage as Silverstone kicks off.
SportAll the reaction to Verstappen-Norris clash as Austrian GP fallout continues – F1 news round-up
Catch up on the latest from the ongoing Verstappen v Norris clash drama as the Austrian Grand Prix weekend winds down
SportMax Verstappen apology predicted with ex-driver defending ‘extreme’ attitude
David Coulthard believes Max Verstappen won't apologise to Lando Norris, but another former driver believes he may extend an apology.
SportAlex Brundle spots Max Verstappen ‘error’ in Lando Norris clash
"Formula 1 is all about tiny margins with massive consequences - and that's exactly what happened here."
SportNBA free agency: Isaiah Hartenstein leaves Knicks for three-year, $87 million deal with Thunder, per report
Hartenstein had two great years with the Knicks
Sport