NEWSLETTER
Javonte Green may have only appeared in 16 of a possible 29 games after the Chicago Bulls acquired him at the trade deadline, but it appears the organization sees a future with the athletic guard.
According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith, the Bulls extended Javonte Green a qualifying offer this weekend, officially making him a restricted free agent.
The Chicago Bulls have issued a qualifying offer to Javonte Green, making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @spotrac.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) August 2, 2021
Arturas Karnisovas now has the option to match offer sheets that come Green’s way, but it is hard to gauge what the market might look like for Green after his rather minimal role in years past with the Bulls and Celtics. With that in mind, it certainly feels possible we could see Green accept the QO, which Spotrac lists as roughly $1.8 million.
All things considered, adding that money to the books would not greatly impact the team’s flexibility, but it would eat up a roster spot in a pivotal offseason. Extending this offer could suggest they view Green as a worthwhile depth piece next season, which does not feel too far-fetched after what we saw to end the year. Green entered the rotation over the final eight games, and while he only averaged about 11.6 minutes per game, he brought great ball pressure on the defensive end and provided endless hustle in transition.
We also learned on Sunday that the Bulls chose not to pick up Ryan Arcidiacono’s $3.0 million team option. Perhaps Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley view Green and Arcidiacono as interchangeable back-of-bench guards. And considering Green could easily end up as cheaper of the two to keep around, it would make sense to hand him the spot.
Again, the Bulls can still renounce this offer, but we should keep in mind that Green will have the right to veto any trade that involves him if he accepts. It’s one of the few perks of accepting a QO.
The Bulls have now extended QO’s to Lauri Markkanen, Devon Dotson, and Green. Adam Mokoka is the only other player from last season’s roster who is eligible for a QO.
