They'll have no choice if Andre Drummond exits in free agency, but it goes beyond that. Chicago should be prepared for—and, some might argue, pursuing—the possibility of a Nikola Vučević trade between now and his contract's expiration in 2026. His counting categories might generally impress, but this club has consistently fared better without him throughout his three-plus seasons in the Windy City.
All of the above and more should give the front office reason to consider Jalen Smith, assuming he declines his $5.4 million player option, per Spotrac. Chicago doesn't always get the shooting or the shot-blocking it needs from the center spot, and Smith is one of few reasonably priced players capable of scratching both itches.
For his career, he's been a per-36-minutes supplier of 1.7 threes and 1.5 blocks, per Basketball-Reference, and his outside shot has never looked more promising. This season, he not only splashed a career-high 61 triples (in 61 games), he did so while posting a personal-best 42.4 percent conversion rate.
