The free agency craze is largely over. There are still a few valuable players remaining on the market, but most of the NBA offseason business is done.
The list of remaining players include some familiar faces. There are former Chicago Bulls who are still waiting for new contracts. Let's take a look.
Nick Richards
Even though the entire backup center market got paid handsomely this summer, Nick Richards remains unsigned. Players like Jock Landale, Jaxson Hayes, Mo Wagner, and Quinten Post all got contracts significantly above the minimum, but Richards seems to not even have a market for the minimum.
It's not like Richards wasn't productive last season. After landing in Chicago at the trade deadline, Richards averaged 9.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 22.4 minutes per game. He is a decent offensive player and rebounder who can give teams decent production off the bench.
There is still a chance Richards could land a guaranteed deal for next season. It could even be with the Bulls, who have an open roster spot and a need for more center depth.
Tony Bradley
Another backup big man who has been forgotten in free agency is Tony Bradley. This is relatively surprising because Bradley was playing rotation minutes for the Pacers in the NBA Finals just a year ago. In fact, he was in Atlanta's playoff rotation just a few months ago.
Sure, he wasn't particularly effective in either stint, but he has been a coveted backup center for the last couple of years. So, he may still find himself a spot as teams get desperate and have to fill their rosters.
Bulls fans likely don't remember Bradley all that fondly. He was signed to be Nikola Vucevic's backup before the 2021-22 season, but failed in that role. Chicago ended up having to sign Tristan Thompson mid-season. After falling out of favor and the rotation next season, the Bulls waived Bradley after the 2023 trade deadline.
Doug McDermott
Even though he also couldn't meet expectations, McDermott is at least remembered fondly in Chicago. The 11th-overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, McDermott was supposed to be a long-term piece for the Bulls. He was fine as a rotation piece and a shooter in his time in Chicago, but he was never able to establish himself as more than a backup.
After getting traded to the Thunder, Dougie McBuckets had a solid NBA career. He never became a starting-caliber forward, but he was consistently a valuable role player in the NBA. After spending the last two seasons in obscurity in Sacramento, McDermott is an unrestricted free agent.
The 34-year-old can still shoot the ball, so there could be a team willing to bring him in as a competent veteran and solid locker room presence. How much gas he has left in the tank, however, remains to be seen.
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