Kofi Inkoom
The Chicago Bulls are set to release guard Carlik Jones, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
It’s been a significant year for Jones, who secured the title of 2023 G League MVP after maintaining an impressive average of 26.1 points per game in 24 regular season matches, playing an average of 38.3 minutes per game.
He also contributed with 7.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds each night. Thanks to this outstanding performance, he transitioned from a two-way contract to a standard roster spot with the Chicago Bulls in March.
Jones had the honor of representing South Sudan during the recent World Cup, where his contributions helped secure a place for the team in the 12-team Olympic field for the first time in history.
The 25-year-old put up remarkable numbers against international competitors, with an average of a double-double – 20.4 points per game and 10.6 assists per game in five World Cup matches.
However, due to the Bulls’ cap constraints and roster situation, it seems that Jones won’t be part of the opening roster for the regular season.
With 13 players on guaranteed contracts and both Jones and Terry Taylor on non-guaranteed salaries, Chicago is hovering near the luxury tax threshold.
The Bulls might be planning to start the season with just 14 players on standard contracts, with Terry securing a spot, although this hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Notably, Jones’ $1.93 million salary would have had a partial guarantee of $250,000 on opening night, but since he’s being released before that, the Bulls won’t have any financial obligation.
If he clears waivers without being claimed, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team, including the Bulls on a new contract.