Bulls rumors: Chicago’s interest in Bennedict Mathurin ‘overstated’

Reports came out in recent days stating that the Chicago Bulls are interested in restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin and are keeping tabs on his status. Chicago can easily carve out the space that’s necessary to sign Mathurin to an offer sheet that would make the Los Angeles Clippers think long and hard about matching, but it seems as though all of this is overblown from the Bulls’ perspective.

According to Joel Lorenzi, Bulls writer for The Athletic, the Bulls’ interest in Mathurin is “overstated”. Lorenzi added that the Bulls value long-term cap and roster flexibility, and signing Mathurin might be counterintuitive to that.

For starters, Mathurin is going to command significantly more than the qualifying offer worth around $8.8 million. And while the Bulls still have some avenues to bring him in (with a sign and trade being the most likely route), that will further clog Chicago’s long-term payroll.

Any sign-and-trade agreement with the Clippers will require the Bulls to not just pony up some assets, but it will also necessitate a commitment of at least three years. And if Mathurin signs for a contract worth somewhere between $15 to $20 million, that might create a complication down the line for when Chicago has to pay Matas Buzelis and their other young pieces.

Nonetheless, Chicago is in the middle of asset accumulation, and Mathurin is only 24 years of age. It’s not like Norman Powell, the man they signed to a two-year, $45 million contract earlier in the offseason, is the long-term answer for them at the two.

But Powell is one of the best volume marksmen from deep in the NBA, and Mathurin needs more of the ball in his hands to thrive. The fit in Chicago won’t be the smoothest to begin with. This combination of factors may end up removing them from the Mathurin sweepstakes entirely.