The Chicago Bulls dismissed Ömer Asik and shortly after announced the commitment of Guard Shaquille Harrison. The Turkish centre has not yet been used this season, partly due to ongoing injuries.
Asik earns 11.3 million dollars in the current season and a further 3 million dollars are guaranteed in the coming year, which the Bulls still have to pay to the center. There is only a chance that another team, the Turks from the waiver list committed, but this scenario is extremely unrealistic.
Asik came to Windy City in February as part of Nikola Mirotic’s trade and has only played 4 games for Chicago since. The Big Man did not enter the field this season because he suffers from arthritis.
In return, the Bulls in Shaquille Harrison hired a new guard. He convinced the Phoenix Suns at the end of last season and has his strengths especially in the defense, where Chicago is in urgent need of improvement anyway. Details of the contract structure were not disclosed, but it is probably a minimum contract (1.3 million) for one year.
Harrison had recently played for a place in the squad with the Suns, but was then dismissed shortly before the start of the season due to the oversupply at the playmaker position (Isaiah Canaan, Ellie Okobo, De’Anthony Melton). For Phoenix, Harrison played a total of 23 games, averaging 6.6 points and 2.4 assists.