Getty Bulls guard Zach LaVine
Torrey Craig is leaving the Phoenix Suns for the Chicago Bulls, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Craig is signing a two-year contract with the Bulls. The deal includes a player option.
Free agent F Torrey Craig has agreed on a two-year contract with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN. Deal includes a player option. Craig averaged 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24 minutes for Suns last season.
Craig averaged 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists for the Suns last season while shooting 45.6% from the field, 39.5% from beyond the arc and 71.1% from the free-throw line. He appeared in 79 games and started 60.
In the 2023 playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets, Craig put up 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. He shot 57.8% overall and 44.0% from 3-point range.
The Suns, despite having All-Stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul, lost to the Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals in six games.
Craig has career averages of 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists with the Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Suns and Indiana Pacers.
Eric Gordon Signs With Suns
Eric Gordon is signing a two-year contract with the Suns, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Gordon was waived by the Clippers on June 28, so he was an unrestricted free agent. The former Sixth Man of the Year narrowed his choices down to the Suns, Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
The Clippers acquired Gordon from the Rockets at the 2023 trade deadline. The Indiana product averaged 11.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 22 games with Los Angeles while shooting 46.3% from the field, 42.3% from beyond the arc and 84.2% from the free-throw line.
Gordon has career averages of 16.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists with the Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans and Rockets. The Suns now have Gordon, Durant, Bradley Beal, Booker and Deandre Ayton as their top players/scorers.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who covered Gordon in Houston, thinks the Suns are adding a tough competitor who will do whatever it takes to win.
“Following his release from the Clippers, Gordon took a few days to scan the NBA landscape and figure out the next best steps for his career,” Iko wrote. “Latching onto a contender quickly emerged as his biggest priority over potentially making more money elsewhere. It’s a nice addition for a Phoenix Suns team that has been able to add depth around Booker, Durant and now Beal. Gordon brings experience, two-way ability, elite shooting and can also function as a secondary ball handler when necessary.
“New Suns coach Frank Vogel now adds another tough competitor to a core that is firmly entrenched at the top of the Western Conference alongside the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.”
Suns Made Other Moves Too
The Suns have been busy since free agency started on June 30. The team signed Yuta Watanabe, Chimezie Metu, Keita Bates-Diop and Drew Eubanks and re-signed Damion Lee and Josh Okogie.
Phoenix, however, didn’t re-sign Jock Landale, who signed with the Rockets.
It will be intriguing to see how many games the Suns win next season under first-year head coach Frank Vogel, who replaced Monty Williams. Vogel guided the Los Angeles Lakers to the 2020 championship at the Walt Disney World bubble in Orlando, Florida. He has also coached the Pacers and Orlando Magic.