Chicago Bulls Sign Talented Big Man To 3-Year Deal

The Chicago Bulls have decisions to make this offseason. As a franchise, they have been spinning their wheels ever since the Derrick Rose era. They are attempting to completely reset and rebuild. The focus seems to be on getting younger. A solid chunk of their core is 25 years old and younger. They added another young piece in free agency, signing Indiana Pacers center Jalen Smith to a three-year deal.

Chicago Bulls Sign Jalen Smith

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Chicago Bulls have signed center Jalen Smith to a three-year, $27 million contract. The talented big man opted out of his $5.4 million player option and became a free agent. Smith was the backup to Myles Turner on the Pacers and made the most of his 17 minutes per game. He averaged 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds last season.

However, if you extrapolate the numbers, Smith was highly productive. On a per-36 minute basis, Jalen Smith was the fourth leading scorer with 20.7 points per 36 minutes and the team’s leading rebounder with 11.6. This is the type of production the Chicago Bulls are hoping for. There’s a chance he could get a starting role depending on if the team can offload some of their veteran pieces.

Getting Younger

The Chicago Bulls are focusing on young players. Coby White is 24 years old and took a leap in 2024. They traded for Josh Giddey, who is only 21 years old and already has years of NBA experience on a rebuilding team. Patrick Williams was brought back on a $90 million deal. While some fans may question this decision, he is only 24 years old and has room to develop. The team is banking on their young core growing together.

Now, the challenge is getting rid of the older talent. DeMar DeRozan is likely not going to be re-signed. Reports indicate the team is trying to move Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine, though they are struggling to do so. This is what the Bulls should be doing. The team needs to tear it down to the studs, acquire young talent, and try to contend in a few years. The signing of Jalen Smith is a good start to that process.