The Chicago Bulls have extended the $1.7 million qualifying offer to guard/forward David Nwaba which will make him a restricted free agent, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reports.
Nwaba, 25, spent his this past season with the Bulls after playing 20 games as an undrafted rookie with the Los Angeles Lakers last season. He played 70 games for the Bulls, averaging 7.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 23.5 minutes. He also shot 47.8 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from beyond the arc and just 65.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Nwaba started 18 of Chicago's last 25 games of the season as they attempted to improve their lottery odds after the All-Star break. He averaged 9.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in 27 minutes during that 25-game run. He scored a career-high 21 points with nine rebounds in his very first start of that stretch against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 22.
While limited as a scorer, Nwaba provided solid minutes for the Bulls on the wings and offered good energy and effort on the defensive end of the floor. With Chicago still short on small forwards-Paul Zipser and rookie Chandler Hutchison are the others on the roster who could play the position-the Bulls have a need for someone like Nwaba on the roster.
It remains to be seen if they decide to match any offer sheet that comes Nwaba's way. But with few teams likely to offer big money for David Nwaba, chances are the Bulls keep hold of him for next season.