Getty DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls still have up to two open roster spots.
After re-signing third-year guard Ayo Dosunmu to a three-year, $21 million contract on July 21, in addition to previous moves re-signing Coby White and adding Jevon Carter in free agency, there is an expectation that their next addition(s) will be to the frontcourt where they remain woefully undersized overall.
They are looking to remedy this, per a new report emerging from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on July 21.
“Veteran forward Rudy Gay is expected to draw interest from several playoff-caliber teams,” Scotto wrote, “including the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans.”
Gay, 36, averaged 5.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 56 appearances for the Utah Jazz last season, his 17th in the NBA.
RUDY GAY WITH AUTHORITY! 🔨
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A former No. 8 overall pick (2006), Gay began his career with the Memphis Grizzlies, spending six-plus seasons there before being traded to the Toronto Raptors ahead of the 2013 trade deadline. He would spend parts of two seasons with Toronto playing alongside Bulls star DeMar DeRozan before the Raptors traded him to the Sacramento Kings early in the 2014-15 season.
The 6-foot-8 former UConn standout lasted three full seasons with the Kings after the trade.
He signed with the San Antonio Spurs in free agency where he again played alongside DeRozan for three seasons from 2018-19 through 2020-21 before the Bulls sign-and-traded for DeRozan in the summer of 2021.
Gay would add some size and another veteran presence to the Bulls who have just two players taller than he is on the current roster, both of whom are centers.
Bulls Have Explored Multiple Avenues to Improve
If Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is anything, he is consistent. He said in his exit interview that he would look to upgrade the team’s three-point shooting and address their issues at point guard.
Karnisovas added Carter and international two-way prospect Onuralp Bitim at guard and Torrey Craig in free agency while keeping White, and Nikola Vucevic from even getting there. Dosunmu’s restricted free agency dragged but he too is back in the mix meaning the Bulls are set to return 10 players from last season’s 15-man opening-day roster.
But the Bulls still have a guard-heavy roster which is why Gay could make some sense.
“Their next signing almost certainly will be a frontcourt signing,” wrote NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson on July 21.
Bulls Also Linked to Christian Wood
“The Chicago Bulls are suddenly viewed as a potential threat that could keep the Lakers from landing [Christian] Wood,” wrote Dan Woike of the L.A. Times on July 19 noting the $10.2 million Disabled Player Exception the Bulls got after an independent panel ruled Lonzo Ball won’t be healthy enough to play at any point this coming season.
Chicago can use the exception to acquire any player in the final year of their contract. They don’t have to make any decisions on it until March, though, meaning we could see them wait until the trade deadline or perhaps even after the All-Star break before they do anything.
But there are still other ways for Karnisovas to improve this roster with training camp still nearly two months away.