The Chicago Bulls are waiving big man Marko Simonovic, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Chicago selected Simonovic with the 44th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He came over to the league the next offseason (2021), and the Bulls signed him to a three-year, $4.3 million contract with a team option in the final season.
During his time with the Bulls, Simonovic failed to make any significant impact. The 6-foot-11 big man appeared in just 16 total games across two seasons, playing 3.4 minutes per contest. He averaged 1.4 points and 0.8 rebounds while shooting 27.3% from the field and 22.2% from behind the three-point line.
The 23-year-old played fairly well in the G League this past year, however, averaging 15.9 points and 10.0 rebounds on 52.4% shooting overall and 39.3% shooting from distance. However, it wasn’t enough for Chicago to want to keep him around on a standard roster spot.
The Chicago Bulls are waiving center Marko Simonovic, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Simonovic appeared in 16 games since signing with Bulls on multiyear deal in 2021.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 6, 2023
Simonovic will go down as one of the more disappointing picks in recent Bulls memory, as there were a few rotation-level players selected behind him. This includes the likes of Isaiah Joe (49th), Kenyon Martin Jr. (52nd), and Paul Reed (58th).
Making second-round picks is difficult, but signing Simonovic to a three-year deal showed that Chicago had real faith in him. It just didn’t pan out.
By waiving Simonovic, Chicago will open up another spot on the roster, likely in hopes of adding more win-now talent, as they have their sights set on getting back into the postseason next year.
With Simonovic gone, they currently have 12 players under contract. That number could move to 11 if they waive Carlik Jones, but it also doesn’t include rookie Julian Phillips, who has yet to officially sign.
