Bulls just received a clear answer on a major NBA free agency decision

The Chicago Bulls own a wealth of cap room heading into the NBA offseason, so they are expected to be big players in free agency.

The Bulls have posted just one winning record over the last decade, so they are in dire need of a boost, and armed with a couple of first-round draft picks (including the No. 4 overall selection) and plenty of money to spend, this summer will be the most pivotal in the franchise’s recent memory.

Chicago has already been linked to various big-name free agents this offseason, ranging from Los Angeles Lakers wing Austin Reaves to Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren.

Duren is widely viewed as one of the top players slated to be available, as he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game this season and is just 22 years old.

But is the University of Memphis product really the answer the Bulls need this July? His playoff showing says no.

The Chicago Bulls should avoid Jalen Duren

Duren may have played a huge role in the Pistons finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference this season, but many people saw his limitations then. Now, they are glaringly obvious in the playoffs.

His shortcomings are so clear, as a matter of fact, that Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff benched Duren in favor of Paul Reed in the fourth quarter and overtime of the Pistons’ Game 5 second-round playoff loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Duren’s minutes have decreased every game in this series, and considering he is averaging just 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds a night, you can understand why. His struggles have not been confined to the Cavaliers series, either, as he also labored in the Pistons’ first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound big man has a very limited offensive repertoire, and he also surprisingly isn’t the greatest defender, particularly in terms of rim protection. In spite of Duren possessing impressive athleticism, he logged just 0.8 blocks per game during the regular season.

With the Bulls in dire need of a defensive lynchpin, spending $185 million on Duren in free agency probably isn’t the best idea. That money would be far better spent elsewhere, and Chicago might be able to land a franchise big man with one of its two first-round draft picks, anyway.

It’s becoming more and more obvious that the Bulls should avoid Duren like the plague.

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