Bulls Sign, Waive Favors and Whitney Ahead of Regular Season

OCT 18: The Chicago Bulls have officially announced the release of Favors and Whitney. It is expected that both players will soon find themselves with the Windy City Bulls in the G League.

OCT 17: The Chicago Bulls have officially signed Derrick Favors and Kahlil Whitney, as per the team’s announcement.

Derrick Favors was reportedly anticipated to sign a G League contract on Saturday, so his agreement with the Bulls is essentially a formality to ensure his placement with Windy City.

The press release suggests that both players have likely entered into Exhibit 10 contracts, which guarantee them a bonus of up to $75,000 if they are waived by the Bulls and spend at least 60 days with the G League.

Derrick Favors, a seasoned NBA veteran of 11 years, holds career averages of 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds across 790 games, with stints at the Nets, Jazz, Pelicans, and Thunder.

He had a standout season in 2015/16, where he averaged 16.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks.

Kahlil Whitney’s journey to secure an NBA spot has been intriguing. He spent just one season at Kentucky in 2019/20 after entering as a highly-touted five-star prospect from high school.

His freshman season at Kentucky saw him average only 3.3 points in 18 games. Surprisingly, he declared for the draft after just one year, signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Hornets when he went undrafted in the 2020 draft.

Whitney, a 6’7″ wing, is still only 22 years old and has recent experience in the G League and internationally.

Last season, he averaged 5.5 points in 18 regular-season appearances with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

While both Favors and Whitney have the potential to earn a place with the Bulls in the future, if not immediately, it’s worth noting that Terry Taylor and Carlik Jones don’t have their contracts fully guaranteed until January 10.

This suggests the Bulls may make roster adjustments down the line. Additionally, Whitney remains eligible for a two-way deal, although all three two-way spots are currently occupied on the Bulls’ roster.