Getty Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls did not have to wait long for the first of the NBA’s playoff teams to join them in the offseason as the Brooklyn Nets were swept at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, the two teams could make for suitable trade partners.
“Kicking the tires on Seth Curry could be a more realistic option for some bench shooting,” writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times on April 22.
Curry, 32, averaged 9.5 points and 2.5 assists in just over 18 minutes per game seeing action in two of three playoff games before getting a larger role with the Nets facing elimination. He could only muster six points on 3-of-6 shooting including 0-for-3 from deep in over 21 minutes in the closeout game, however.
But he has knocked down over 40% of his threes in each of his last seven healthy seasons.
Chicago notably ranked 30th in three-pointers taken and made while checking in at 16th in efficiency. Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas spoke of changing the team’s shot profile during his end-of-season press conference.
Curry is second in three-point efficiency among players with at least 1890 attempts since the 2015-16 season, per Stathead, only trailing his Nets teammate Joe Harris in that span.
However, Curry is an unrestricted free agent coming off a four-year, $32 million deal.
What the Bulls Could Offer for Seth Curry
Would the Bulls’ anticipated offer of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception – projected to be worth over $10 million in 2023-24, per RealGM – be enough to snag Curry? Or will there be enough interest elsewhere to drive his market up and out of Karnsovas’ price range? The Bulls could look to split that up as well given they have to add to their roster while being expected to be “all in” on retaining restricted free agent Coby White who shot 37.2% from beyond the arc this past season and has his sights set on a starting role.
They also have decisions to make on Chicago natives Ayo Dosunmu (also be a restricted free agent this offseason) and Patrick Beverley.
Beverley has set his expected market from $13 million to $15 million this offseason.
Assuming the Bulls are intent on adding Curry, there is another, perhaps even more intriguing route that could come into play given how limited they are on resources and therefore avenues to meaningfully improve the team.
A ‘More Likely’ Path for Bulls
“The sign-and-trade path would be more likely,” suggests Cowley about the Bulls’ approach to free agency this offseason.
Karnisovas used sign-and-trades to land Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan following the 2021 season and hinted at having creative ways to improve that roster this offseason, perhaps suggesting he will indeed go that route again.
This certainly doesn’t eliminate Curry from consideration, though the structure of his contract might be something to keep an eye on given his age and physical limitations on defense and positional versatility. Listed at 6-foot-2, he is a guard only and could likely be targeted by opposing defenses whenever he is on the floor.
It also begs the question of just who the Bulls would send back.
Dosunmu could be an easy option if they were not satisfied with his progress this season. Or perhaps White if they truly feel he has exhausted his abilities as a lead guard. Beyond that, the Bulls’ assets would seem to factor into Karnisovas’ plans for the roster.