While the rest of the league focused on LeBron James' sweepstakes, the Chicago Bulls kept a close eye on younger players. And, unlike most of the league, they have more than enough cap room to make several moves.
Notably, the latest rumors have the Bulls interested in Bennedict Mathurin. The Los Angeles Clippers are still waiting for a resolution in the Kawhi Leonard investigation, and that might hamper their ability to retain their restricted free agent.
Mathurin would bring a much-needed scoring punch to the table, but not much more. That's why, if the Bulls are only interested in getting him, it should come under two fundamental conditions: one, they should use him to dump a bad contract, and two, it should be a temporary move.
The Chicago Bulls only need Bennedict Mathurin as a trade chip
If the Bulls can use this move to get rid of Isaac Okoro's deal, so be it. That said, they should only look to keep him around long enough to drive up his trade value and move on from him as soon as someone wants to get him.
Mathurin has a history of injuries, and as good a scorer as he is, that's all he is. He doesn't play defense, get his teammates involved, and isn't much of a factor on the glass. Yes, he can go off for 30 on any given night, but one-dimensional bucket-getters have become a dying breed in today's NBA, just like we've seen with Cam Thomas.
Granted, the Bulls need scoring, and Mathurin can put the ball through the hoop like the best of them. That said, why on Earth would coach Tiago Splitter give him minutes and touches over Caleb Wilson, Daylin Swain, or Matas Buzelis?
The Bulls already have a plug-and-play offensive spark in Norman Powell. He already checked the box of 'guy we signed as a potential trade chip because we had more cap space than most of his suitors.' They don't need another one of those.
Mathurin can be a short-term pickup while the rookies get a hold of the NBA's speed. Then, as soon as he starts dropping 25 a night and other teams inquire about his availability, the Bulls should send him packing.
The Bulls should only focus on two things right now: Player development and hoarding draft capital. Other than that, there's no reason to consider selling the farm for an empty-calorie player who doesn't bring anything other than garbage-time scoring to the mix.
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