Journeyman Scorer Floated as Potential ‘Steal’ for Bulls in Free Agency

The Chicago Bulls traded DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings on July 8 after his venture into free agency.

They still have several veterans who clash with their youth movement. However, they have been unable to find a trade partner to take Zach LaVine or Nikola Vucevic off their hands. Both have multiple years left on their high-value contracts.

That does not mean they cannot continue with lesser moves.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley believes DeRozan’s former teammate, Lonnie Walker IV, could be a “steal” in the late stages of free agency.

“Shot-making should be a focus for this front office. Lonnie Walker IV offers a good amount of exactly that, especially for an unsigned 25-year-old. An inconsistent outside shot has often hurt his efficiency, but he can heat up in a hurry,” Buckley wrote on July 18.

“If he ever harnessed a consistent three-ball, he could be a real asset,” Buckley wrote. “Since he hasn’t done that yet, though, he might have to settle for minimum money and will perk up some team’s second unit whenever he does.”

Walker averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists for the Brooklyn Nets in 2023-24.

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Lonnie Walker IV Has Bounced Around the NBA

Walker’s scoring hit its lowest mark since the 2019-20 season, but his 38.4% mark beyond the arc is the second-highest of his career. His 4.7 attempts per game matched his career-high that was originally set in 2020-21. He was on a one-year, $2.3 million contract.

The San Antonio Spurs selected Walker with the No. 18 overall pick of the 2018 draft. He spent his first four seasons there, the first three of which were with DeRozan as his teammate.

The Spurs rescinded Walker’s qualifying offer in 2022, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Walker signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022-23, averaging 11.7 points, 1.9 boards, and 1.1 assists in 56 appearances. He logged 32 starts for LA, with a 14.7/2.3/1.4 line and a 38.4% clip from deep in those games.

Despite Walker’s draft pedigree and flashes of what he can do, a new team would mark his fourth organization in seven seasons.

Has been a part of three organizations in the last three campaigns.

The Bulls also have a glut of guards. Still, Walker’s age and skill set fit what the Bulls are looking for at a bargain in free agency. They have eight players under the age of 26 on guaranteed contracts on the roster.

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Lonnie Walker IV Could Make Sense for Bulls in Free Agency if Zach LaVine is Traded

“Zach LaVine has taken up residence on the trade rumor mill, and Nikola Vučević would be an obvious trade candidate if Chicago could find a taker,” Buckley wrote. “Subtract those two, and the Bulls would be missing three of their top four scorers from last season.”

The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reported on speculation around the league that LaVine could land with the Los Angeles Clippers.

However, the Clippers agreed to a sign-and-trade for former Bulls guard Kris Dunn on July 18, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojanrowski.

Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas told reporters he expects LaVine to be with the team in training camp, per NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson on July 15.

Vucevic’s market has remained quiet, and the Bulls’ roster would be even smaller without him.

With DeRozan gone, LaVine’s future remains a focal point. But a potential spot for Walker on the Bulls could depend more on reserve swingman Onuralp Bitim.

The Bulls have 14 guaranteed contracts; one short of the limit. Bitim’s $1.9 million salary in Year 2 of a three-year, $4.6 million contract is non-guaranteed, per Spotrac. $350,000 is guaranteed for opening night. The rest of the contract becomes guaranteed on January 10, 2025.

Bitim averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 27.3% from three in 2023-24.

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