CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Bulls kept guard Coby White and added perimeter help by agreeing to a deal with Milwaukee Bucks guard Jevon Carter yesterday.
White opted to stay in Chicago rather than test the market as a restricted free agent and agreed to a USD40 million, three-year contract, agent Ty Sullivan said. Carter is due USD20 million over three years, agent Mark Bartelstein said.
White and Carter could help fill a void at point guard. The Bulls do not expect Lonzo Ball to play this season after being sidelined for more than a year because of a left knee injury.
The 23-year-old White averaged 9.7 points while playing 23.4 minutes per game – both career lows. But he boasts a quick first step and the ability to connect from beyond the arc, where he shot 37.2 per cent last season. White, drafted by Chicago with the number seven overall pick in 2019, showed improvement in his decision making.
Carter gives the Bulls a tough perimeter defender and outside shooting they sorely lacked.
Chicago was last in the NBA in three-pointers made and attempted.
Carter started 39 of the 81 games he played and averaged 8.0 points while making 42.1 per cent of his three-pointers.
The deals with White and Carter come two days after the Bulls and center Nikola Vucevic agreed on Wednesday to a USD60 million, three-year extension, keeping the two-time All-Star off the market. Veteran centre Andre Drummond also exercised his option to return on Friday.
The Bulls went 40-42 last season and lost in the play-in tournament.
