Before traveling to Toronto to play their first game of March, in which they would later suffer a defeat of 104-98 to the Raptors, the Chicago Bulls announced their decision to waive veteran guard Goran Dragic in a mutual agreement. On his Twitter account, Dragic went ahead to express his gratitude for the time he spent with the Chicago Bulls and wished them good luck.
The Bulls felt that keeping him in a limited role was not fair. So, they decided to waive him early enough to give him the best chance for a signing before the playoffs.
Dragic Roles were Already Limited
At the time Patrick Beverly was being signed, there were already speculations that the Bulls would release Goran Dragic. Clearly, his performance had declined over time, and his roles were already limited. The arrival of Beverly pushed Dragic to a third string in the guard, further limiting his roles.
The 36-year-old had a one-year contract with the Bulls with a minimum salary since last summer. He was part of the club’s point guard for most of the season.
His last game with the Bulls was on February 13, when the team lost to Orlando Magic, and he only managed to record two points, an assist, and 2 turnovers in the 11 minutes.
Dragic delivered the season’s quote following the beating by Minnesota on December 18th. “We’re not playing for each other. It’s as simple as that.” For the first time in the Bull’s 40-year history, the team was beaten 150 – 126 by the Timberwolves. This was their fourth loss in a row with strong players. It’s after this poor performance that some of his roles were limited.
Roster Update: We have waived Goran Dragic.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 28, 2023
Dragic Waiver Gives Room for a New Player
Chicago Bulls move to waive Dragic makes room on the 15-man roster for the season’s newcomer. Now that a roster spot is available, the Bulls are in a good position to add another player before the regular season ends.
A new signing might give hope to the now hopeless fan base. The Bulls are 12th in the Eastern Conference, meaning they’re unlikely to make it to the playoffs. They still have a number of games to play though, so we can’t just write them off yet.
Goran Dragic Was Once an All-star
Dragic played in Slovenia and Spain before joining the United States NBA in 2008. He has also played for Phoenix Sun, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and the latest team being, Chicago Bulls.
He made it to the NBA third-team selection and was the most improved player in 2014 when playing with the Sun. In 2017, he led his home team, the Slovenian national team, to its first FIBA EuroBasket, and he was named the most valuable player in that tournament.
Dragic qualified for his first and only all-star appearance after scoring over 20 points per game, averaging 17.3 points, 4.1 boards, and 4.8 assists when playing for Miami.
He is currently averaging 6.1 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 rebounds in 15 minutes per game from the 51 games he has played. However, this is far low from how he used to perform a few seasons ago. His shooting has significantly reduced to 35% from behind the arc and 43% from the field.
He Is Free To Join Another Team Before the Playoffs
Since Dragic was waived before the 1st of march, he is eligible for a playoff if he signs with another NBA team before the last day of the regular season.
Another team can still absorb his contract with the minimum salary exception and claim him on the waiver. The club that will place a claim on him will have to take the total 1.84 MM cap and pay him the remaining money on his contract.
Releasing Dragic allows the Bull’s salary to remain below the luxury tax line at 1.2 mm. The Bulls, therefore, have enough room to find another player of their liking and sign for the rest of the season. Only that they have limited roles for a new signee.
They already have Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams for the power forward, which leaves the 15th-man role limited even if they decide to go on with any signing.
It was rumored that the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks were interested in Dragic, but they pivoted and ended up signing Kevin Love and Meyers Leonard respectively in the buyout market.
Goran Dragic is reportedly finishing the year in Milwaukee. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/26ToaY64Bx
— theScore (@theScore) March 4, 2023
He Can Still Offer Incredible Energy And Leadership
Dragic is expected to receive some interest from teams that want a new signing for the playoff.
Even though he is not as good as he used to be, Dragic is still a valuable player to any team looking for an experienced guard. He will bring his incredible energy, experience, and leadership to the team on and off the court.
Credits on Featured Image: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
