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With NBA free agency dying down now, most of the moves being made involve restricted free agents or end of the bench type moves. Many teams probably won't commit to the last couple of roster spots just yet in case somebody ends up surprising and standing out at summer league. For the Chicago Bulls, they've had a somewhat busy offseason so far. They managed to re-sign Coby White and they brought in Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig, two solid role players, in NBA free agency. But before the offseason is over, there is one more move the Bulls should make in free agency and that's bringing back Javonte Green on a minimum deal to round out the bench.
The Bulls were dealt a crushing blow this offseason when it was revealed that Lonzo Ball will likely miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season as he continues to deal with ongoing knee issues. Ball was brought in to be the team's starting point guard and when he was actually able to play, he played well and the Bulls looked like a strong team. Since then, they've had to change up their plans and adjust to his absence.
The Bulls are a team that is looking to be a perennial playoff contender in the Eastern Conference. They haven't done such a good job of that lately. They were knocked out of the play-in tournament by the Miami Heat and they don't appear to have any strong hope on the horizon. Zach LaVine has been mentioned in trade rumors but there doesn't appear to be anything concrete happening anytime soon.
Barring any unforeseen major trade, the Bulls will head into the 2023-24 season with the roster they have now. What the Bulls should do though between now and the start of the season is bring back Javonte Green who is not going to command much in terms of salary. While Heavy.com's Sean Deveney reported that Green and the Boston Celtics have interest on a possible reunion, the Bulls should strike first.
Javonte Green first joined the Bulls when he was traded by the Celtics at the trade deadline during the 2020-21 season. He didn't play much that season but the following year he worked his way into the Bulls rotation as an impact player. During the 2021-22 season, he averaged a career-high 7.2 points per game, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals with splits of 54.2 percent shooting from the field, 35.6 percent shooting from the three-point line and 83.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line. He played in 65 games, including 45 starts.
Green was re-signed by the Bulls in the 2022 offseason but unfortunately for them, he underwent knee surgery back in January that sidelined him for a couple of months. He was never able to get into any kind of a rhythm and he fell out of the rotation as he approached unrestricted free agency.
Green's value to the team lies beyond his offensive contributions. He brings a ton of energy on the court and his defensive ability allows him to guard multiple positions. The Bulls need someone like that off their bench. He can get back to the level he was playing at before his knee surgery slowed him down. He's worked on his three-point shot to the point where he is a consistent shooter from distance.
Bringing Green back on a minimum deal is the final offseason move the Bulls should make in free agency.
