The Chicago Bulls made a quiet move to shore up their frontcourt depth Thursday, agreeing to a two-year, $17 million extension with backup center Zach Collins. The deal keeps the 28-year-old big man off the free agent market and gives the Bulls some continuity behind their newly reshaped front line.
Collins, who was the No. 10 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga, arrived in Chicago last season as part of a trade involving the San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings. But injuries have been a problem since he put on a Bulls uniform. A pair of wrist and toe issues limited him to just 10 games last season, and he has only appeared in 38 total contests for the franchise since the deal. That injury history probably kept his market from getting too hot, but the Bulls clearly see enough upside to lock him in on a modest deal.
For his career, Collins averages 8.0 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor. The 3-point shooting has been inconsistent — he hits about 33.4 percent from deep — so he is not exactly a floor-spacing center. But at 6-foot-11, he can provide rim protection and some physicality off the bench when healthy. The question, as always, is whether he can stay on the court for a full season.
A New Front Office Takes a Measured First Step
This extension is one of the first moves by new executive vice president Bryson Graham, who is taking a relatively cautious approach to free agency. He could make bigger splashes in the coming days, but for now the Bulls are mostly keeping the roster they have. The team already made noise earlier this week by trading for Nic Claxton and drafting Caleb Wilson in the first round, so the frontcourt picture is getting crowded.
Chicago has been linked to some bigger names on the wing, including All-Star guard Norman Powell and three-point specialist Max Strus. Whether Graham actually lands either of those guys is unclear, but the Bulls still have cap flexibility to make something happen. The team has not confirmed any serious talks, and Powell alone would likely command a hefty price tag.
Collins, for his part, seems comfortable staying in Chicago. The wrist and toe injuries are behind him now, and he will have a full offseason to get right. He is only 28, which is young enough that a healthy season could remind teams what made him a lottery pick eight years ago. The Bulls are betting he can do that in Chicago rather than somewhere else.
Free agency is still in its early stages, so expect more moves from the Bulls before training camp opens in October.
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