3 free-agent forwards the Chicago Bulls should sign

Chicago Bulls have been one of the best stories of the season. Their reemergence as an NBA powerhouse has Bulls fans feeling good, and rightfully so.</p> <p>They <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/22/free-agent-forwards-chicago-bulls/"https://www.nba.com/news/bulls-sign-tristan-thompson-release-alfonzo-mckinnie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">just added Tristan Thompson</a> in the buyout market, waiving Alonzo McKinnie in the process. And while that might end up being their only move, they could still use some depth at the forward position.</p> <p>As of now, their guard rotation doesn’t look too hot, but once Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso return, they should be fine there. The small/power forward positions are where they are lacking a bit.</p> <p>Outside of DeMar DeRozan, their next-best guys are Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., and Troy Brown Jr. If the Bulls choose to continue to bolster their depth via the buyout market, who could they go after?</p> <h2>3 free-agent forwards the Chicago Bulls should sign: Semi Ojeleye</h2> <p>Okay, so maybe this is cheating a little, as Semi Ojeleye isn’t technically a free agent just yet. But there has been a bunch of speculation that he could end up getting bought out by the LA Clippers.</p> <p>With how much the Bulls’ defense has struggled after losing both Ball and Caruso, bringing in a defensive-minded forward would be the ideal choice.</p> <p>Ojeleye thrived in that role during his years with the Boston Celtics. He’s a big guy with lots of muscle that is fully capable of bullying opposing teams’ best players.</p> <p>And while he was never able to consistently shoot well from behind the arc, he did show flashes of success from three. If Chicago wants to improve their defense, Ojeleye is a name to watch out for.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/22/free-agent-forwards-chicago-bulls/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Player #2 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_442243" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-442243" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/22/free-agent-forwards-chicago-bulls/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1190635227.jpeg" alt="3 free-agent forwards the Chicago Bulls should sign" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1190635227.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1190635227-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">MIAMI, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 16: Zylan Cheatham #45 of the New Orleans Pelicans laughs against the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena on November 16, 2019 in Miami, Florida, 3 free-agent forwards the Chicago Bulls should sign. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 free-agent forwards the Chicago Bulls should sign: Zylan Cheatham</h2> <p>Here’s a name that not many fans are familiar with. Zylan Cheatham is a 26-year-old forward who currently plays for the Birmingham Squadron in the G-League.</p> <p>Cheatham has only ever appeared in four NBA games but has found a ton of success in both the G-League and during stints with various teams in the Summer League.</p> <p>So far this season with the Squadron, Cheatham is averaging 13.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range.</p> <p>The biggest draw with Cheatham is his defense. He’s one of those players who plays with constant energy on both ends of the floor but is particularly effective on the defensive side of the ball.</p> <p>He’s only 6-8, but his innate rebounding ability allows him to spend some time as a small-ball five, too. Cheatham even recorded an 18-rebound game with the Denver Nuggets’ Summer League team this past offseason.</p> <p>The tricky part about bringing Cheatham aboard is who the Bulls would get rid of to make room. But based on their need for defenders, Matt Thomas and Marko Simonovic come to mind.</p> <p>While most Bulls (or even NBA) fans probably haven’t heard of Cheatham, he could be the perfect player to take a chance on. With the Bulls needing energy and some better defenders at the forward, bringing him aboard couldn’t hurt.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/22/free-agent-forwards-chicago-bulls/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Player #3 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_442140" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-442140" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/22/free-agent-forwards-chicago-bulls/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2266,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1362448055.jpeg" alt="3 free-agent forwards the Chicago Bulls should sign" width="3200" height="2266" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1362448055.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1362448055-768x544.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 01: James Ennis III #10 of the Los Angeles Clippers during a break in the action during the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 01, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 free-agent forwards the Chicago Bulls should sign: James Ennis</h2> <p>Over the last few weeks, the Bulls’ defense has suffered as a result of injuries. Adding James Ennis to the roster would give them another scrappy, hard-nosed defender to play with.</p> <p>Ennis bounced around on 10-day contracts earlier this season when teams were handing them out like candy. He appeared on three different teams – the Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers, and Denver Nuggets.</p> <p>He didn’t get many minutes on any team but saw the most success when with the Clippers. Ennis played in two games, averaging 10.0 points and shooting 50.0 percent from deep.</p> <p>Just last year, Ennis spent the entire season with the Orlando Magic. He averaged 8.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from three-point range.</p> <p>At only 31 years old, it’s safe to assume that Ennis still has something left in the tank. His two-way presence would give the Bulls a nice boost at the forward/wing position.</p> <p>Although he wouldn’t make a major difference, having that extra defense and shooting would likely be an improvement over some of the lower-tier players they currently have on the roster.</p> <p>At the very least, Ennis would give Billy Donovan another tool to work with off of his bench. And with how many injuries the Bulls have dealt with, having another experienced player could be crucial.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Ayo Dosunmu was the best steal of the 2021 NBA Draft" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/02/ayo-dosunmu-steal-2021-nba-draft/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/22/free-agent-forwards-chicago-bulls/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/02/02/ayo-dosunmu-steal-2021-nba-draft/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Ayo Dosunmu was the best steal of the 2021 NBA Draft </a> </div> </div><!—pageview_candidate—>">