CHICAGO — As the Chicago Bulls approach the fall with an open roster spot, they’ve been linked to LA Clippers restricted free agent guard Bennedict Mathurin. The Bulls’ reported interest in Mathurin, though, has been overstated, according to a league source who was granted anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations.
Mathurin, the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, averaged 17.6 points per game in 54 games with the Indiana Pacers and the Clippers last season. LA can match any contract offer he receives.
The Bulls recognize how early they sit in this rebuild, and the desire for talent at any position will trump stylistic need for a roster still discovering its long-term identity. Mathurin, who turned 24 in June, remains a talented young scorer who could be worth a flyer.
But Chicago values two things at this stage: roster flexibility and acquiring future assets. Mathurin made roughly $9.2 million this past season, and his next contract is widely expected to exceed that figure in annual value.
To create that kind of room, Chicago would likely need to commit to a sign-and-trade. Chicago has exhausted the approximately $54 million in cap space it possessed entering the summer, so it must either use its roughly $9.4 million room exception or execute a sign-and-trade. For a sign-and-trade to be completed, the contract length needs to be at least three years, with the first year guaranteed.
While it remains possible the Bulls use that room on Mathurin or someone else to fill their final roster spot, they remain fixated on maintaining cap and roster flexibility. Given the Bulls’ priorities, they are reluctant to enter into any long-term commitments. General manager Bryson Graham has signaled a preference for short-term deals with limited guarantees, having inked guard Norman Powell and center Zach Collins to two-year contracts with a team option in Year 2.
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Many of the hypothetical sign-and-trade deals for Mathurin or other free agents require the Bulls to attach draft compensation — likely a future second-round pick or two — which also works against the Bulls’ interests.
The Bulls offer some appeal for Mathurin. Chicago is settling into a new regime, with a new coach and a roster looking for long-term building blocks. Even if the Bulls are eager to feature young forwards Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis next season, it’s unclear how shots will be divvied. The roster still lacks scoring punch, most notably off the bench.
However, last year’s team featured a nauseating number of guards, so these Bulls boast a crowded frontcourt and aren’t in dire need of Mathurin’s skill set. They are missing many things — shooting and defense among them — but have less need for a high-volume scorer who’s best when driving and initiating contact, but isn’t a connective passer, efficient 3-point shooter or particularly notable defender at this stage of his career.
A swing at Mathurin, though unlikely, may be palatable to the Bulls in a team-friendly scenario where his contract could be structured in a short-term, cost-efficient way. Even then, though, the Bulls aren’t married to using the room exception for a rotation player and may prefer to keep it as a trade mechanism to absorb other players’ contracts and draft picks.