Chicago Bulls: Complete 2018 offseason grades
Bulls claim Antonius Cleveland off waivers
Prior to the start of last season, the Bulls took a flier on Nwaba, claiming him off waivers from the Los Angeles Lakers. As Chicago fans know, Nwaba turned in a pretty decent season.
For the second straight year, the Bulls are claiming another player off waivers in hopes they will catch lighting in a bottle once again. The player in question this time around is Antonius Cleveland.
Sources: The Chicago Bulls have claimed former Atlanta Hawks guard Antonius Cleveland off waivers. Cleveland, 6-foot-6, is on a multiyear deal.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 23, 2018
In 2017-18, Cleveland played for both the Dallas Mavericks and the Atlanta Hawks. In 13 appearances for the Mavs, he averaged just 0.8 points and 0.8 rebounds on 28.6 percent shooting from the field. Following a pair of 10-day contacts, the Hawks signed Cleveland to a multi-year deal. In four appearances for the Hawks, Cleveland averaged 3.3 points and 1.0 rebounds per contest on 57.1 percent shooting, including 3-of-3 from 3-point territory.
Although Cleveland is regarded as a solid defensive player, based on his limited production thus far, adding him to the mix doesn’t make much sense considering there are three players ahead of him at the off-guard spot. Simply put, it is difficult to foresee a scenario in which Cleveland carves out a spot in Fred Hoiberg’s rotation.
For that reason, this move will have little to no impact on the team’s overall success next season.
Grade: C-