The Chicago Bulls should prioritize these 3 free agents above all

The Chicago Bulls should prioritize free agent Nicolas Batum

Once seen as maybe the worst contract in basketball, veteran forward Nicolas Batum is no longer making obscene money, but he’s now become somewhat underrated. The 33-year-old veteran has played for a handful of teams in his career, and is now playing his role better than ever before.

Batum, first and foremost, has always been a good defensive player. At 6-foot-8, he’s able to guard multiple positions well. His defensive rating has historically averaged under 110 (per Basketball Reference) and, on a per-36-minute basis, Batum averaged 1.4 steals and 1.0 block last year with the Clippers.

In addition to being a solid defender, though, Batum brings a bit of rebounding (4.3 per game last season) and some outside shooting. Last year, Batum shot the three ball at a 40 percent rate, which is something the Bulls should be looking to add in the next couple of days.

At this stage in his career, Batum is a guy who simply does what it takes to help a team win. Certainly, the goal is to win a championship, and at his age he’ll fit right in with the Bulls as a team that’s ready to compete right now.