The Chicago Bulls signed their first new Player of the Summer when free NBA agency opened Friday, signing guard Jevon Carter to a three-year contract. according to a report by ESPN.
After two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Carter entered the free agency market after declining his player option. He reportedly signed a $20 million contract with the Bulls.
With the Bulls, Carter fulfills a multitude of demands the roster faces this offseason. He’s a consistent contributor — he played 81 games last season — and brings with him a strong defense that should quickly integrate with the Bulls’ defense, which finished fifth in the league last year.
Most importantly, Carter could be crucial for the Bulls as they try to break out of their position as the league’s worst 3-point shooting team. Carter had a 42.1% shot rate from behind the arch last season and hit 4.2 attempts per game from the bench — a number that would have put him third overall in the Bulls’ roster.
This commitment will also be a homecoming for Carter, who graduated from Proviso East in 2018.
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Here are the other moves the Bulls have made in free agency so far.
Guard Coby White will remain in Chicago after signing a three-year, $40 million deal. according to an ESPN. The signing continues another off-season in which the Bulls’ front office says it’s hoping for continuity and trying to retain most of the roster from last year’s 40-42 season.
With a career 3-pointer ratio of 36.7%, White posted mostly career lows last season (9.7 points, 23.4 minutes). But those numbers belied White’s biggest year of growth, during which he improved his ball handling and defensive skills to give the Bulls a wider coverage option off the bench.
White’s role has varied wildly since he was drafted by the Bulls in 2019, ranging from starting point guard to second-rotation shooter to versatile playmaker. Coach Billy Donovan suggested White could pick up the point again next season, although Carter’s acquisition could mean the guard will continue to play an off-ball role.
Backup center Andre Drummond exercised his player option to return on Thursday, bolstering the Bulls around the rim in a key secondary rotation position.
Drummond’s minutes were inconsistent in his first season as a Bull. Due to the manager’s decision, he sometimes had to sit out several games in a row only to log more than 20 minutes in a game the following week. But he made the most of his time on the court, averaging 6.6 rebounds and six points in 12.7 minutes.
The Bulls will likely need to add at least one more player upfront to absorb the loss of Derrick Jones Jr., who turned down his player option last week. Although the team selected Tennessee native Julian Phillips for the power forward position, the front office made it clear that the rookie will not join the rotation immediately.
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