According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Chicago Bulls have signed wing Ben Coupet Jr. to an Exhibit 10 contract. Coupet initially went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft. Additionally, he most likely will not make the team’s roster this season. Scotto says that the expectation is that Coupet will be waived before the start of the season and play for the Bulls’ G League affiliate.
The Chicago Bulls have signed Ben Coupet Jr to an Exhibit 10 deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Coupet is expected to rejoin Chicago’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls. pic.twitter.com/oRERwPMKRA
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 6, 2024
The Bulls play their first preseason game of the year tomorrow on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Given the nature of preseason games in the NBA, it is possible Coupet will see some action on the court.
Chicago Bulls Sign Ben Coupet Jr. to an Exhibit 10 Contract
The Chicago Bulls Waived a Former Lottery Pick Before Signing Ben Coupet Jr.
Just days before adding Coupet to the roster, the Bulls signed former lottery draft choice, Joshua Primo to an Exhibit 10 contract. However, the Bulls waived him shortly after. This move was not necessarily a shock, though it is interesting the team moved on from him before the start of preseason. Regardless, Primo, who joined the NBA after getting drafted 12th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2021, will likely return to the team and play in the G League.
Where the Chicago Bulls Stand in the League
The Bulls had an interesting offseason. For the past few seasons, they have remained stuck. They were not good enough (or at least healthy enough) to be serious title contenders. However, on the flip side, they were too good to be a bottom team in the Eastern Conference. Many expected the Bulls to fully commit to one direction this summer, which they slightly did. The team traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey. Furthermore, they moved on from DeMar DeRozan, who joined the Sacramento Kings via a sign-and-trade. However, Chicago did not trade Zach LaVine or Nikola Vucevic, and they will likely have Lonzo Ball to begin the season.
As it stands, the Bulls will likely remain in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference. Once again, they are not good enough to stand in title contention, but they are not bad enough to finish as a lottery team.
The Last Word
Regardless of where the Bulls finish this season, there is some excitement to have about the team. Most notably, the return of Ball should hype some Bulls fans up. The former Los Angeles Lakers guard last suited up on January 14, 2022. Additionally, the team drafted Matas Buzelis this year. Buzelis, a Chicago native like Coupet, is a favorite to take home the Rookie of the Year award.
