The Chicago Bulls have been searching for answers for years now, and have kind of been stuck with the core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and others. Shortly before the 2024-25 season gets underway, they made another move to bolster their depth in the backcourt.
The Bulls signed former Lakers and Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker to a partially guaranteed deal to come to Chicago, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“Free agent guard Talen Horton-Tucker has agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell
@TheAthletic,” Charania reported on X, formerly Twitter. “The Chicago native returns home and will have an opportunity to make Bulls roster after averaging 10.5 points over the last two seasons in Utah.”
For his career, Horton-Tucker is averaging 9.8 points per game on 42.3% shooting and 29.3% from three-point range. He will have a chance to be bench piece for the Bulls if he makes the final roster. Chicago desperately missed a scorer in their backcourt off the bench last season after Coby White moved into the starting lineup, a role that Horton-Tucker could theoretically fill if he can find his groove.
Where Talen Horton-Tucker might fit in the Bulls’ rotation
The Bulls backcourt has gotten more crowded this offseason, so Horton-Tucker will have his work cut out for him if he wants to make the ream, and especially if he wants to crack Billy Donovan’s rotation.
Coby White’s breakout last season ensures that he will have a big role on the team moving forward, as the North Carolina product established himself as a microwave scorer and someone who can get a bucket from all three levels of the court. LaVine and Lonzo Ball are back despite their usual injury concerns, and will command a lot of minutes when they are available. The front office also flipped Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey, whose development should be a focal point for the coaching staff.
On the bench, defensive ace Ayo Dosunmu is still in the mix and has shown some signs that some offensive development could still come for the former Illinois star. The Bulls also invested a 2023 first round pick in Dalen Terry, who saw limited time in his rookie season.
All in all, it’s going to be difficult for Horton-Tucker to find the floor for the Bulls unless they’re dealing with major injury issues. The backcourt is by far the stronger part of the roster, and they have a number of young, talented players that Donovan will be focused on developing. However, taking a flier on a talented scorer like Horton-Tucker makes sense for Chicago as they prepare for camp.
