The Bulls continued the theme of their full rebuild, taking another flier on a young, raw player by signing big man Diamond Stone late Wednesday.
Stone, drafted 40th in 2016, averaged 1.4 points in 3.4 minutes in seven games with the Clippers last season. He also played 13 games in the G League, averaging 16.2 points and seven rebounds.
That could be where Stone winds up with the Bulls; his partially guaranteed two-year deal makes him eligible to play for the Windy City Bulls if he doesn’t make the NBA roster. The Bulls have 13 guaranteed contracts, one non-guaranteed deal with guard David Nwaba and the unresolved situation with Nikola Mirotic.
Mirotic posted pictures on his Twitter account of him working out at the Bulls’ practice facility Wednesday. It’s possible he will play the 2017-18 season under the Bulls’ $7.2 million qualifying offer if no long-term deal is reached.
The 6-foot-11, 255-pound Stone played high school ball in Milwaukee and averaged 12.5 points in his lone season at Maryland, where he earned AP Big Ten Newcomer of the Year honors. The Clippers traded him to the Hawks in July in a three-team deal, and the Hawks promptly waived Stone, making him a free agent.
He also could add insurance should the Bulls decide to trade Robin Lopez to acquire future draft picks to accelerate the rebuild. Lopez is due $13.7 million this season and $14.3 million next season. His steady play could make him an attractive piece to a contending team looking to add a veteran big man.
