Getty Daniel Theis
So we knew Nikola Vucevic would get the No. 9 from Patrick Williams. The latter has switched to No. 44, moving forward, but perhaps the other four new Chicago Bulls uniform numbers weren’t as obvious.
On Friday, the Bulls’ official Twitter account shared a tweet revealing the uniform numbers for Troy Brown Jr., Al-Farouq Aminu, Javonte Green, and Daniel Theis.
Patrick Williams is changing his number to 4️⃣4️⃣
Daniel Theis ➔ 2️⃣7️⃣
Javonte Green ➔ 1️⃣1️⃣
Troy Brown Jr ➔ 7️⃣
Al-Farouq Aminu ➔ 5️⃣
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The first game with the new guys is on Saturday night on the road against the San Antonio Spurs. Here’s a little info on the other new Bulls.
What Theis Brings
The 28-year-old, 6’8″ 245-pounder from Germany is a bit undersized at the center position. However, he is a physical, athletic banger with decent touch. He is averaging 9.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 42 contests for the Boston Celtics this season.
During the 2020-21 season, Theis has made just under 35% of his threes, but he’s seen his free-throw percentage drop to just below 69%.
Theis is in his fourth season in the NBA, and he’s made a mark in the league because of his active body, strength, and effort on defense. He is an outstanding role player and should immediately give the Bulls better minutes off the bench than they ever got from Daniel Gafford.
Theis is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. If he plays as well as he’s capable of, he might be the kind of energy player the Bulls want to bring back next season.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait an extra game to see him in a Bulls uniform. He has a family matter to resolve before joining the team for their next game in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors.
Daniel Theis will not make trip to San Antonio. Family reasons. He will meet up with team in San Fran.
What Brown Brings
Besides Vucevic, Brown is the player Bulls fans should be the most excited about moving forward. He’s in his third season in the NBA, but the Oregon alum is still just 21 years old.
At 6’6″ 215 pounds, Brown has good size for the wing position, and he excels as a perimeter defender. He saw his numbers dip dramatically this season, but last year, he averaged 10.4 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 steals.
He can immediately step in as a viable wing option off the bench who will battle Denzel Valentine for minutes. If Williams ever moves to the power forward position, Brown might be an option at small forward. If he improves his three-point shooting (33% for his career), we’re looking at a player who could turn the corner.
Brown will be a restricted free agent after next season unless Chicago extends him in the upcoming offseason.
What Green Brings
Green is in his second year in the NBA, but he’s already 27. He’s an athletic, high-flyer who works hard on both ends. However, he’ll have an uphill battle trying to find a spot in the Bulls’ rotation.
He’s a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
What Aminu Brings
Between Green and Aminu, those two new Bulls have the slimmest chances of sticking on the roster. Aminu’s skills have eroded a bit throughout his 11-year career. For the Orlando Magic, he was averaging 5.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and one steal per game while shooting a woeful 22% from three-point range.
He can play the small or power forward, so there is some versatility there. However, Aminu’s most significant value to the Bulls will likely be his $10 million expiring salary in 2021-22. It may help to facilitate a bigger deal for a star.
Also Read:
- Nikola Vucevic Gets ‘9’ and Patrick Williams Accepts New Jersey Number
- Twitter Reacts to Bulls’ Massive Three-Team Deal
- Twitter Reacts to Bulls Shocking Trade to Land 2-Time All-Star
- Wendell Carter Jr. Throws Teammates Under the Bus After Embarrassing Loss
- Bulls and Rockets Linked in Potential Trade Deadline Deal