The Chicago Bulls made a strong under-the-radar move as free agency began, locking up big man Cristiano Felicio.
As the clock struck midnight and NBA free agency began, the Chicago Bulls were one of the first teams to have a free agent deal announced. No, it was not a huge move, but re-signing Cristiano Felicio to a four-year, $32 million contract (according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania) was a wise one.
Chicago RFA Cristiano Felicio has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to re-sign with the Bulls, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2017
The skillset
The 24-year-old Felicio played well in a limited role for the Bulls last season, averaging 4.8 points and 4.7 rebounds on the year. He is known as an extremely hard worker and it shows in a big way on the court. Felicio is relatively quick for a big man and is relentless on the defensive end. He is not the most athletically gifted player, but his motor allows him to compete on both ends of the court.
Felicio is a bit undersized for a center (listed at 6-foot-9, 266 pounds), but he uses his wide frame extremely well on the court. He can overpower opposing players in the post and despite his lack of ideal height and length, has shown the ability to protect the rim extremely well. Felicio is a defensive presence under the basket and rebounds the ball extremely well.
He also has a smooth offensive game that has a lot of upside going forward. Felicio has shown the ability to make plays in the pick-and-roll and is an excellent passer for a post player. He also shows a bit of a shooting touch from the outside. If Felicio can expand his game and be confident enough to hit an outside shot consistently, the Bulls may have found a major steal here.
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When it comes down to it, Felicio is unlikely to become anything more than a backup center. That being said, he has a good chance to become an extremely good one. For a perfectly reasonable price, the Bulls were able to lock down a player who could be a legitimate part of their young core. A small part of it perhaps, but a part nonetheless.