The Chicago Bulls have handled most of their offseason business so far, but they are still not entirely done. Armed with the room mid-level exception starting at $9.4 million next season and an open roster spot, the Bulls have a chance to make an addition to their roster.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported earlier in the week that the Bulls are considering restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin for that final roster spot. He said that the Bulls, along with the Pelicans and the Bucks, "remain engaged" with Mathurin's representatives. He added that a return to the Clippers for the 24-year-old swingman can't be ruled out, either.
Should the Bulls pursue Bennedict Mathurin in free agency?
Whether this is a good idea for the Bulls depends on the price. Given that it almost certainly has to be for the room mid-level exception, this would be a decent addition.
On paper, Mathurin is not the ideal fit in Chicago. He is a good scorer, and the Bulls could certainly use that. Everything else in his game, however, leaves plenty to be desired. He is an inconsistent shooter, having hit over 35% from three only once in four seasons. After he joined the Clippers at the trade deadline, he made 20.7% of his threes. This creates significant spacing issues for his teams.
This is a problem for the Bulls, when they already have questionable shooting. Besides Norman Powell, there isn't an elite shooter in the rotation. Adding another shot creator who doesn't space the floor for his teammates may not be the best use of resources.
Mathurin's passing and playmaking are major weaknesses. He has more turnovers than assists in his career, and he rarely looks to pass the ball. He gets tunnel vision when he has the ball, almost always looking to score. This may not be ideal for a Bulls team that has a lot of mouths to feed.
Defensively, Mathurin is a liability. He has had good stretches in his career, especially in the Pacers' NBA Finals run in 2025, but his effort and intensity have been very inconsistent. Do the Bulls really want to bring in another poor defender in the backcourt when they already have Josh Giddey and Norman Powell?
Despite all of his shortcomings, Mathurin is a worthy gamble. The Bulls don't have postseason aspirations right now. Their priority is to get as much talent through the door as possible. The fit has to be secondary until the Bulls figure out their core of the future. Taking as many shots on goal as they can until they find the players who can be a part of this team going forward is a good strategy.
And Mathurin has enough tools and upside to warrant a shot. He is a good athlete, likes to play through contact, can get to the rim and the free-throw line at will, and puts up points on the board. The Bulls would be wise to see if there is another level he can hit on a rebuilding team.
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