The Chicago Bulls added big man Jalen Smith in NBA free agency this offseason, and Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley feels that the Bulls may have landed a diamond in the rough.
In a recent piece, Buckley listed Smith among 10 hidden gems in the NBA.
Chicago signed Smith to a three-year, $27 million deal earlier this offseason, which was one heck of a bargain considering typical contracts in today’s game.
Smith, who played his collegiate basketball at the University of Maryland, was originally selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 10th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.
He spent just one-and-a-half seasons with the Suns before being traded to the Indiana Pacers midway through the 2021-22 campaign.
Smith was unable to get much of an opportunity in Phoenix, playing in just 27 games during his rookie campaign and having a very limited bench role in his sophomore season prior to the Pacers deal.
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The 24-year-old blossomed in Indiana upon arriving, averaging 13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds over 24.7 minutes per game over 22 contests in 2021-22. He also posted 53.1/37.3/76.0 shooting splits.
Smith played a significant role in Indiana’s rotation the following couple of years, and last season, he registered 9.9 points and 5.5 boards across 18.8 minutes a night while shooting 59.2 percent from the floor and 42.4 percent from three-point range.
The Chicago Bulls have some interesting young talent
The Bulls still have a lot of work to do, but they certainly have some intriguing young talent on their roster.
Not only did Chicago sign Smith, but it also added Josh Giddey via trade this summer, and Coby White appears to be a budding star. The jury is still out on Patrick Williams, but, he is still just 23 years old and has at least been fairly consistent in terms of production. Then there’s Ayo Dosunmu, who could very well be one of the more underrated young wings in the NBA.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Chicago Bulls Updates
The Bulls probably won’t know where they truly stand until they trade Zach LaVine, which seems to be an inevitability at this point.
Chicago still has a long way to go, but, at the very least, the Bulls do have some positive signs moving forward.
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