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If the Chicago Bulls are still in the market for another perimeter defender with NBA experience, they might want to take a look at a former No. 2 overall pick in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They wouldn’t have to disrupt their push for continuity, either.
That has been the prevailing theme of the summer for the Bulls’ front office and, for better or worse, they have achieved that goal.
But there is still some time and training camp before we get into the regular season.
It never hurts to explore all options as Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas vowed to do in his exit interview. And it’s not as though this same front office has not already taken a shot on a former top lottery pick. This time, it would be much cheaper but has the potential to have many of the same payoffs.
Road to Reclamation
Kidd-Gilchrist has not played since 2020. Despite that, he does possess many of the traits that Karnisovas has targeted as he has remade the roster. Only two players remain from before his tenure – guards Zach LaVine and Coby White. The overhaul has seen Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley prioritize length and athleticism among their top traits.
Chicago has four non-bigs all listed with wingspans of 6-foot-10 or greater in Dalen Terry, Derrick Jones Jr., Patrick Williams, and Ayo Dosunmu.
Kidd-Gilchrist checks in with a 7-foot wingspan.
“The former Kentucky star (they won the 2012 National Championship) is still young and was such a high draft pick that he could be worth taking a look at,” argues Sports Illustrated’s Ben Stinar. “They could bring him in for training camp, and if he didn’t work out they could simply waive him.“
Though their roster is full, the Bulls could use a versatile forward following the ACL injury suffered by rookie Justin Lewis.
Lewis was not expected to contribute this season. But with camp and the injury history of many players on this roster, additional depth could be wise. And, as Stinar points out, they could sign him to an Exhibit-10 deal for training camp with the option to cut bait if it doesn’t work out.
Why Sign Kidd-Gilchrist
The 6-foot-6, 232-pound forward averaged less than 1.0 points per game in his last NBA action, a 13-game stint with the Dallas Mavericks in 2020. He split that season, playing the first half with the Charlotte Hornets before being waived. He did not even get to finish out his four-year, $52 million extension.
His best offensive season came in 2017 with the Hornets when he averaged 9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals. Those Hornets finished 11th in the East that season.
“He never developed into a good shooter,” notes Stinar, “but he was always known to be a very strong defender.”
The former Kentucky Wildcat’s defensive rating was 107 over the first seven years of his career despite climbing in his final two full seasons in Charlotte.
He made at least 60 appearances in five of those first seven years too. Kidd-Gilchrist had one more season as a full-time starter joining Charlotte’s first five 74 times in 2018 before going to the bench the following season and being waived a year after that.
Draft Stock and Broken Shot
The Bulls already roster one player that was taken second-overall in his respective draft class in starting point guard Lonzo Ball. Ball also entered the league with a funky-looking jump shot that many figured would cap his NBA ceiling.
Ball worked on his shot before he ever got to the Bulls and has seen his efficiency from long-range increase every year that he’s been in the league.
Kidd-Gilchrist never made that adjustment with injuries playing a part in that.
He said in October of 2021 that he was putting his NBA career on hold to focus on his non-profit, Change & Impact Inc. but he made it clear he was not retiring.
The Bulls should not look at him as anything other than a flier if at all. But Kidd-Gilchrist has the pedigree and has produced in this league before in one of the Bulls’ biggest problem areas. He could make for decent insurance for some of the team’s other players on even a G-League deal.
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