Bulls' overflowing backcourt even more cluttered after first free agency domino falls

Re-signing Josh Giddey to a $150 million pact wasn't the first transaction of the offseason for the Chicago Bulls, nor was selecting a player 12th overall. 29-year-old Jevon Carter, electing to pick up his $6.8 million player option, officially kicked off the Bulls' offseason.

After averaging a career-high 8.0 points and 2.4 assists per game and knocking down 142 three-pointers at a 42.1 percent clip for the 58-win Milwaukee Bucks, the Bulls poached Carter in the 2023 offseason, signing him to a three-year, $19.5 million pact.

Jevon Carter has struggled since signing a three-year contract with Chicago

In his first season in Chicago, Carter appeared in 72 contests, averaging merely 13.9 minutes per game. He totaled 5.0 points and 1.3 assists—a subtle drop-off from his standout season in Milwaukee. However, his efficiency took a nosedive in his first season in the Windy City. Carter converted only 32.9 percent of his 234 three-point attempts in 2023-24.

Following the acquisition of Giddey, coupled with the long-awaited return of Lonzo Ball, and a disappointing inaugural campaign, Carter fell in the pecking order. He played more than 10 minutes twice in the first half of the season. The West Virginia product averaged only 3.6 points in 7.2 minutes per game pre-All-Star break.

After the midseason festivities, Carter saw a slight uptick in playing time. Missing Ball and Ayo Dosunmu for most of the latter half of the season, Carter averaged 5.0 points in 10.4 minutes per game. The 6-foot-1 guard scored in double figures twice from February onward, recording an impressive 17-point, five-three-point field goal performance on March 31 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Carter finished his seventh professional season averaging 4.3 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, splashing 33.3 percent of his 105 three-point attempts.

The Bulls' crowded backcourt will return a familiar face

With the June 29 player option deadline looming, Carter rationally opted into his $6.8 million. If he were to decline his player option, the best-case scenario for Carter would be to sign a one-year, veteran minimum contract worth roughly $3 million. Worst case, Carter would be vying for a roster spot, potentially signing a non-guaranteed contract similar to Talen Horton-Tucker a year ago.

Now that Carter has opted in, the Bulls have Ball, Dosunmu, Dalen Terry, and Coby White all under contract for 2025-26. It's also plausible to include the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter, Kevin Huerter, in the glut of guards. Lastly, on the brink of signing an extension, Giddey is all but guaranteed to return to Chicago.

Chicago will soon have six to seven guards under contract, depending on how certain players are viewed, assuming that the Bulls won't select a guard at 12th or 45th in this week's draft. While Carter is making the most logical move, opting into a contract he wouldn't earn elsewhere, the move doesn't play into the Bulls' favor. Nonetheless, if need be, there's still an avenue to parting with Carter utilizing the stretch provision.