Bulls land Torrey Craig on two-year deal |
Although the Bulls don't have a ton of money to spend this off-season, they have been given permission to surpass the luxury tax. Therefore, they are doing what they can to improve this roster, which starts from within. Nikola Vucevic and Coby White were given new three-year contracts, with Andre Drummond picking up his player option.
You also had the Bulls file for a Disabled Player Exception for Lonzo Ball, which, if approved, will give the Bulls an extra 9-10 million in Cap Space. That could help the Bulls add even more players to their roster, which still needs a ton of work. Along with the in-house additions, you also had Derrick Jones Jr decline his player option, leaving the Bulls short on the bench. Jevon Carter was added a few days ago on a three-year deal to potentially improve their lack of three-point shooting, but it will take more than just him to get this team back on track. Monday saw the Bulls add their second free-agent pickup of the offseason, and although not a flashy name, it could help the bench this season. Free agent Wing/Guard Torrey Craig was available for the taking, and the Bulls have reached a two-year deal with Craig. The terms and financials of the contract haven't been released quite yet, but this deal is giving the Bulls another valuable option off the bench to potentially improve their lack of shooting. Craig averaged 24 minutes per game for the Suns last season and was one of their most valuable options off the bench. He averaged 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds during those minutes, both career-high totals for the veteran. I understand the fans would like a more flashy name than this, but the Carter signing and now this one of Craig should be the signings the Bulls target this offseason. Given the options starting to dwindle in the free agent pool, the 32-year-old Craig was one of the best options, if not the best option left on the board, so this was another under-the-radar get for this team. Craig will fill a significant need at the wing with his six-foot-seven size and above-average defensive play. Even more encouraging, Craig is fresh off shooting 39.5 percent from downtown last season on a career-high 3.1 attempts per game, both of which are significant needs for this team. Craig might not be a well-recognized name for the casual fan, but he has been an excellent rotational player for several years. He has thrown in a bevy of playoff experience the past few seasons, bringing with him the experience many of these Bulls players don't have. Coming from overseas and playing three years with the Denver Nuggets, Craig was on the Finals-bound Milwaukee Bucks in 2020-21. Midway through that season, he was traded to the other Finals-bound team, the Phoenix Suns, and appeared in all 22 playoff games. After signing an excellent new deal with the Indiana Pacers that offseason, it only took a handful of months for the Suns to trade for him back. He played 79 games for the team this year, averaging 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. The best part about Craig is his versatility, which Jones Jr brought to the table and did well with during his time in the Windy City. Craig is a forward by trade but can also play the SG and Wing positions allowing the Bulls to mix and match him into their rotation. You could argue that he is the replacement for Jones Jr and will be taking on the role he had last season. While it is nice to have other guard options on this team, look for Craig to play primarily a front-court role, especially considering the lack of rebounders on this team. Craig will fit right into this team's rotation and the direction they want to go, as he will look to provide the Bulls with some excellent minutes.
