Jevon Carter joins in a $20 million deal

The Chicago Bulls brought out their first freshman of the summer when the NBA opened free agency on Friday, signing guard Jevon Carter to a three-year deal, According to a report by ESPN.

After two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Carter hit the free agency market after turning down his player option. He reportedly signed a $20 million deal with the Bulls.

For the Bulls, Carter fills a variety of needs facing the roster this season. He’s a consistent contributor — he scored 81 games last season — and brings a solid edge to the perimeter who must mesh quickly with a Bulls defense that finished fifth in the league last year.

Most importantly, Carter could be a game-changer for the Bulls when they try to break out of their position as the worst three-point shooting team in the league. Carter shot 42.1% from behind the arc last season and took 4.2 tries per game off the bench – a number that would have put him third overall on the Bulls’ list.

This signing would also be a homecoming for Carter, who graduated from Proviso East in 2018.

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Here are the other moves the Bulls have made so far in free agency.

Guard Coby White will remain in Chicago after signing a 3-year, $40 million deal. According to ESPN. The signing continues another season in which the Bulls front office claims to be focused on continuity as they seek to retain the bulk of the roster from last year’s 40-42 season.

A 36.7% 3-point shooter, White mostly hit career lows (9.7 points, 23.4 minutes) last season. But those numbers belied White’s biggest year of growth, which has seen him double down on his maneuvering skills and defensive savvy to provide the Bulls with a more complete guarding option off the bench.

White’s role has fluctuated dramatically since he was drafted by the Bulls in 2019, from starting point guard to rotational secondary shooter to versatile playmaker. Coach Billy Donovan has suggested that White may take over the point again next season, though Carter’s possession could mean the guard will remain in an off-the-ball role.

Backup center Andre Drummond exercised his player option Thursday to return, boosting the Bulls around the rim in a key secondary rotation position.

Drummond’s minutes were inconsistent in his first season as a Bull, sometimes sitting out as a coach’s decision in several straight games only to log more than 20 minutes in the following week’s game. But he made the most of his time on the court, averaging 6.6 rebounds and six points in 12.7 minutes.

The Bulls will likely need to add at least one player to the frontcourt to absorb the loss of Derrick Jones Jr., who turned down his player option last week. Although the team drafted Tennessee producer Julian Phillips with the “power forward” position in mind, the front office made it clear the rookie wouldn’t be an immediate addition to the rotation.

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