Bull sign frontcourt player Kenneth Lofton Jr. |
It has been a while since the Chicago Bulls made a move this offseason. That is to be expected, given their current roster construction and the lack of overall cap space they had to work with heading into the offseason.
For the most part, they have done a decent job adding to their roster with what they have been given, even if some of the moves make for a weaker team heading into the season. With just over a month to go until training camp starts, the Bulls got back on the free agent market as they have agreed to a one-year deal with Kenny Lofton Jr, who will now compete for a roster spot this season. This is a rather interesting signing, as the Bulls only have one two-way contract remaining for the season. If Lofton is indeed playing for a roster spot, then you can expect him to be in the running for that final two-way deal. He will add some much-needed depth size-wise to this team. The 22-year-old frontcourt player Lofton is primarily a PF but has seen some time at center over the years. At 6-6, he doesn't have the ideal height you would look for in a frontcourt player, but at 275 pounds, he is a physical presence that many teams struggle to deal with. Should he come in and have a great camp, and the Bulls decide he is worth a regular roster spot as opposed to the standard two-way deal, the only move they could make is releasing the Turkish Sharpshooter Onurlap Bitim, who is on a non-guaranteed deal this season. Like most of the Bulls moves this offseason, this is considered one of those depth moves, but this one comes with more intrigue than some of the rest. Despite being a journeyman to start his NBA career, Lofton Jr has still seen action in 45 NBA games, which would be just over half of a season. Despite him having a tough time staying on a team, there are plenty of reasons for teams to give him a shot, and that all starts with his size and unusual skillset for his size. As expected, the big man can use his size to his advantage, pushing guys around in the paint. He can also put the ball on the floor to get past a defender, as he has unusual quickness for a guy his size. When you look at what he has done across his 45 career games, it is hard to believe he hasn't been able to latch on to a team for a lengthy stint. Over those 45 games, Lofton has posted 13.6 PPG, adding 5.0 RPG and dishing out 4.6 APG. Those would be solid numbers for a No. 3 or 4 option on a starting lineup, but those are incredible numbers for someone who plays a ton of time off the bench. Going further into his career, you can see his potential as a player when you look at his G-League Numbers. Throughout his G-League thus far, Lofton has put up lofty numbers averaging 22.8 PPG and hauling in 10 RPG. He also dished out 4.0 APG, showing a terrific feel for the game, and did that while shooting 55.3 % from the field. Those numbers prove that his skillset is off the charts, and that is too good for the G-League, but for whatever reason, he has yet to carve out a consistent role in the NBA. No one knows why that is at this point, but a big reason could be the situations he has been in during his career, as he has been on rosters stacked with talent. While the Bulls roster has some talent, it doesn't have the talent that Lofton has played with in the past, so if there were an opportunity for him to carve out a legitimate role, this would be the one. Like many great G-League players, some players are stuck in the middle where they are too good for the G-League but, for whatever reason, can't figure it out at the NBA. However, with the Bulls entering what could be a full-blow rebuild, Chicago is willing to take a chance on many players that many teams may not even consider. It could be a win-win for both sides, as Lofton could carve out a regular role for the first time in his career. If that happens, then the Bulls found what some would call a diamond in the rough type of player.
