SEPTEMBER 7: The Bulls have officially signed Johnson to his two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), who reports that the big man will get a $250K partial guarantee if he’s not waived by opening night. The second year is non-guaranteed until July 2, 2022.
SEPTEMBER 6: After being waived by the Nets to make room for an un-retiring LaMarcus Aldridge, unrestricted free agent power forward Alize Johnson has agreed to a new two-year contract with the Bulls, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Wojnarowski reports that Johnson will sign a two-year, $3.6MM minimum-salary contract with Chicago. Johnson marks the third Bulls signing of the Labor Day weekend, to go along with 6’6″ forward Stanley Johnson and 6’4″ wing Matt Thomas.
The 6’7″ Alize Johnson was selected by the Pacers with the No. 50 pick in the 2018 draft out of Missouri State. After spending his first two NBA seasons with the Pacers and their NBAGL affiliate the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, he next suited up for the Raptors 905 during the pandemic-truncated 2021 G League Orlando “bubble” season. The 25-year-old averaged 16.6 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.3 SPG across 15 contests for the Raptors’ G League affiliate.
Johnson then joined the Nets for the remainder of the season, flashing some athletic promise in a deep-bench role. Over 18 games, he averaged 5.2 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 10.5 MPG for Brooklyn during the 2020/21 season.
Positionally, both Johnsons could help fill the void left by recently-departed reserve power forward Lauri Markkanen. Markkanen, a restricted free agent this summer, was moved to the Cavaliers through a four-year, $67MM sign-and-trade, in a three-team deal with the Blazers that netted Chicago future draft equity, as well as reserve forward Derrick Jones Jr.
Functionally, Jones and the Johnsons are very different players from Markkanen. The new reserve trio should collectively be able to provide versatile defense at either forward position, though none sport the long-range shooting acumen of seven-footer Markkanen.
It’s worth noting that, prior to the Bulls’ trio of deals, the team was carrying 13 players on guaranteed contracts. The details on Chicago’s latest contracts are unclear, but there won’t be room for both Johnsons and Thomas on the regular season roster unless another player is traded or waived.
Good signing! This dude has improved virtually every aspect of his game every year.
Good signing! He is a solid bench depth and could develop into the rotation if keeps improving and hustling.
Alize Johnson, Stanly Johnson, Matt Thomas & Derick Jones… not exactly Theis, LonzoB, Caruso & Derozan. Same league, barely.
Daniel Theis was one of those signings that went under the radar. He is filling the same type of role that PJ Tucker had in Houston, but he won’t be in a small-ball lineup alongside a 6′ 10″ Christian Wood or Alperen Sengun.
your HR should have signed A Johnson, still can Hartenstein
Hartenstein started with the Rockets three years ago, but they already have plenty of players better than him or Alize Johnson on their roster. So many people here act like any unsigned player out there could make Houston’s roster, but nothing could be further from the truth. This team is loaded with young talent, and everyone here will come to realize that either this season or the next.
someone said the same thing when theis and caruso were signed on their first contract…
2 are on their 3rd team, 2 on their 4th. If they were drafted first round and kept, they might still be on their first contract, but not the case. For a couple, this might be their first chance at the 4. But Bulls need a starter there.
Derozan or Williams then.
Williams, especially if he has bulked up during the off season. DeRozan only in special lineups.
I actually like Alize as an 8th or 9th man and was surprised Brooklyn moved on from him. I’d probably take him over LMA at this point in his career. And given Chicago’s lack of depth I could see him being a very solid addition for them.
The other guys . . . . not so much. Stanley seems a pretty sure thing to remain a bust. D. Jones is 3&D w/ no 3, and I won’t even pretend to know much about Matt Thomas.
He look like jimmy buttler…
Very limited games and minutes, but he was reasonably productive when he hit the court last year. He only played 18 games and 10 mpg, but he averaged 5/5 in that time. He’s young and athletic. He seems that his skill set will fit the team and provide much needed depth in the front court. I wish it was Milsap, but this guy seems to have lots of upside.
As a life time Bull fan I will be upset if Ayo D. Was dropped without giving him a fair chance.