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Temporary Stagnation in the Storm of the Free Agent Market

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After the initial consolidation, not only the Chicago Bulls, but the entire NBA free agent market has started to calm down. There are still some players who are worth a salary above the starter level, although they may not be superstars. They possess both a high ceiling and practical skills, and they are still lingering in the free agent market. Considering that there are at least two big names, James Harden and Damian Lillard, with the latter still searching for a solution, it may be difficult for the teams directly involved to complete a fair trade. Therefore, discussions should focus on how each team can predict the direction and directly or indirectly benefit their own team in this chess game. It feels like a temporary lull in the eye of the storm.

Please continue reading. So, what can the Bulls do to join the battle? It may be related to the injury exception they applied for.

Further reading: "Season Summary," "Bulls' Draft Day," "Bulls' Free Agency Market," "Bulls' Free Agency Market Initial Stage," "Opinions on Other Teams' Free Agency Market Operations." Please continue reading.

  1. Andre Drummond's Revelation: A recent video has been circulating wildly, featuring Drummond advising young players not to focus solely on statistics and complain, but rather on how to become a better team player. He shares his own experience of going from a player with a multi-million dollar contract to someone who is ignored. This speech to young players truly resonates. His year with the Chicago Bulls has been a meaningful one in terms of self-awareness and mindset, which is why he is willing to stay. If you remember, there was a period when he wasn't playing, and many people were criticizing the coach for freezing him out. However, it was later revealed that during that time, Drummond was questioning himself psychologically, and the coaching staff and team chose to support him through it. If you watch this video and still can't understand why the current coaching staff and coach have taken this path, and what the results are, then I truly believe that it is a matter of life experience and perspective.

  2. Signing Julian Phillips with the New CBA Second Round Exception: According to reports, the Chicago Bulls have signed Phillips, the 35th overall pick this year, to a four-year contract: 2023-24/1.6M, 2024-25/1.9M, 2025-26/2.2M, 2026-27/2.4M (Team Option). I initially thought this was part of the mid-level exception used to sign contracts, but after being reminded by netizens, it should be a standard contract under the new CBA for second-round picks. It is evident that the team values this rookie, as they have guaranteed him $5.7M, which is the second-highest among second-round picks. According to CBA rules, with this four-year contract signed by a second-round pick, the team must waive the fourth-year contract after the third year to make the player a restricted free agent. This is similar to the previous CBA regulations. The most famous recent cases under the previous CBA were the successful operations by the team to secure Lu Dort and the failed attempts with Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, who claimed to have no emotional connection with their college teammate Jalen Brunson.

  3. Signing Adama Sanogo to a Two-Way Contract: The Chicago Bulls have confirmed the signing of undrafted player Sanogo to a two-way contract. This rookie has shown both strengths and weaknesses in the current summer league. However, he reminds me of Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart, who recently signed a 4-year, $64M contract extension with the Pistons. I haven't watched Stewart play much, except for the incident where he directly confronted LeBron James. Of course, I am aware of the discussions within the Pistons' community regarding his basketball intelligence, skill development, and role. However, it seems that at least within the Pistons organization, he has been given recognition and secured a place for himself amid competition from high-ceiling players like Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman.

Even though the modern style of play seems to be shrinking the market for this type of center, players like Kevon Looney, Wendell Carter Jr., and even Steven Adams have proven with their performances that even if they don't possess the talent or basketball awareness of Jaren Jackson Jr. or Draymond Green, they are willing to integrate into the team, understand each teammate's movements, and do what needs to be done to positively impact the game.