Chicago Bulls: Complete 2018 offseason grades

Bulls add Antonio Blakeney

After opting to part ways with Sean Kilpatrick and rescinding their qualifying offer to David Nwaba, the question was how were the Bulls going fill the void created by their departures. The answer to that question came in the form of signing Antonio Blakeney to a guaranteed, two-year minimum contract.

Last season, Blakeney played on a two-way contract, splitting time in the G League and the NBA. In 30 plus games for the Windy City Bulls, Blakeney posted averages of 32.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 38.3 minutes per outing, en route to winning the G League Rookie of the Year.

In 16 NBA appearances, Blakeney averaged 7.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.5 minutes per outing. Meanwhile, not only did Nwaba have an identical scoring average, but his rebounding numbers (4.7 per game) and assists numbers (1.5 per contest) were higher than Blakeney’s.

Additionally, Nwaba shot 47.8 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from 3-point range, while Blakeney shot 37.1 percent and posted a 28.8 percent conversion rate from beyond the arc. Furthermore, Nwaba held his own from a defensive standpoint as well. In fact, he was often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player.

Considering Nwaba’s ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor, he probably would have been the better choice for a team that ranked near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories.

Grade: C