COMPANY WORTH KEEPING
Temple’s veteran influence, low cost are hard to ignore as Bulls face some key decisions
At 35, and having collected gear from nine NBA teams since 2009, Bulls guard Garrett Temple would love nothing more than to sign for another year in Chicago.
But as he has noted several times, his contract has an expiration date, and it’s coming this summer.
“It was great while I was here,” Temple said of his one season with the Bulls, speaking as if he’s already gone. “I think AK and Evs [Arturas Karnisovas, executive vice president of basketball operations, and general manager Marc Eversley] have done a great job of trying to build a culture here. [Coach] Billy [Donovan] as well. And I would love to be here and be that same veteran presence, that defender, a guy the young guys can lean upon [and Donovan] can lean upon to impart things to the team.”
That comes with years of experience. For teams that need it, it also comes at a price.
It wouldn’t be a hefty one for the
Bulls in Temple’s case. Of all the free agents they have to make decisions about this offseason, Temple might offer the most bang for their buck. He signed for $4.7 million to play last season, and even though he missed some games because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols and an ankle injury, his influence on fellow guards Coby White and Zach LaVine was significant.
It might seem like a no-brainer to bring him back, especially given his optimism about the Bulls’ core group.
But it’s not his call.
“I feel like I’ve got a few more years to play, to really compete on the court, so I would love to be back,” Temple said. “But I don’t have a player option. The option is not mine. The choice is not mine. But once we get things together, this is definitely a place I would love to come back to and finish what I think we started here in terms of being able to get to be a contender in the East.’’
“Contender in the East’’ might be a little farfetched right now, but bringing back Temple — one of four key unrestricted free agents — shouldn’t be.
What should the Bulls do with Temple? Re-sign.