The NBA season is starting in less than a week, so the Chicago Bulls are firming up their roster and making plans for the months ahead.
Because of that, the team has decided to waive two young players.
On Thursday morning, the Bulls announced they waived Onuralp Bitim and Kenneth Lofton Jr.
In an X post, the team wrote, “Thank you for your hard work and best of luck.”
Transactions: We have waived Onuralp Bitim & Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Thank you for your hard work and best of luck. pic.twitter.com/uRbv1hGSmx
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 17, 2024
Since February of 2022, Bitim has played in 22 games for the Bulls and averaged 3.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in just 12 minutes per game.
He was fighting to earn the last roster spot on the team and was working with a non-guaranteed contract.
If he had been part of the roster on opening night, Bitim would have earned $350,000.
As for Lofton, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract back in August.
He entered the league with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022-23 and then moved to the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz.
It’s not clear what is next for these two players but they are both young and could find a new home in the NBA, although their chances of doing that before next week are fairly slim.
The Bulls’ camp roster now has 18 players, including a few two-way contracts.
These likely won’t be the last changes the team makes, although they could remain calm for the foreseeable future now that the season is just about here.
This choice by the Bulls is good news for Talen Horton-Tucker, who now has a better chance of being a part of the roster when 2024-25 tips off next week.
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