Bulls Sign Chicago Native to Add Backcourt Depth

Getty Zach Norvell

The Chicago Bulls have added yet another local talent to their roster. Weeks after signing Chicago native Devon Dotson as an undrafted free agent, the Bulls have also reportedly signed second-yea-pro Zach Norvell, per ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

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Who is Zach Norvell?

If you’re not familiar with Zach Norvell, don’t feel bad. Norvell isn’t exactly a household name, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be of some assistance to the Bulls during the 2020-21 season. Norvell turns 23 in December and he was born and raised in Chicago, and he attended Simeon High School, which is Derrick Rose’s alma mater.

Norvell was an All-State Special Mention coming out of Simeon and regarded as a lefty sharpshooter. He landed at Gonzaga for his college basketball career where he was All-WCC First team in 2019. In two years at Gonzaga, Norvell averaged just under 14 points per game on 37 percent shooting from three-point range. Norvell also converted just under 84 percent of his threes.

Norvell played in five games in the NBA last year. He appeared in two contests for the Los Angeles Lakers and another three with the Golden State Warriors. In the NBA, Norvell proved to be a capable shooter from deep, though it was a small sample size. He converted three of his eight attempts. If he can prove to be a knock-down shooter from distance, he could find a place on the Bulls’ roster.

Here’s what Brad Rowland had to say about Norvell last year when he was headed into the league last year.

In an overall sense, Norvell could be viewed as a 3-and-D prospect, though the “3” part of the equation is far more certain than the “D” section. That is actually more appealing than prospects with the reverse profile, however, and his offensive arsenal should be enough to ensure that he is drafted in 2019. There are areas in which Norvell must improve in the future, ranging from his ability as a play finisher offensively to his overall acumen and physicality on the defensive end. Still, he has a clearly defined strength and, if a prospect was able to choose just one at his size, long-distance shooting might be the logical area.

The defense will be key for Norvell to find a spot with the Bulls as the team is clearly trying to establish a culture of two-way players.

The Bulls Depth Chart at Guard

Norvell has good size for the guard position. At 6’5″, he fits most neatly in at shooting guard, but in the current era of positionless basketball, Norvell could likely play some small forward as well.

Currently, the Bulls’ roster is loaded with players who could potentially occupy the same combination of positions. Tomas Satoransky, Denzel Valentine, Zach LaVine, Adam Mokoka, and the recently signed Garrett Temple. The team also has Coby White and Ryan Arcidiacono, which means the team would seemingly have to release, and/or trade a player or two, or send someone to the G-League.

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