Ronald Dupree, formerly of the National Basketball Developmental League, and Linton Johnson, he of the Continental Basketball Association, are ahead of $31 million man Eddie Robinson in the rotation.
Veteran Corie Blount was waived so Paul Shirley could leave the American Basketball Association for a 10-day contract, which makes seeing what Shirley has to offer a premium.
Thus, it's possible, in Year 6 of this seemingly interminable rebuilding process, the Bulls will play three players with minor-league experience against Philadelphia on Saturday.
"I can't guarantee any of these guys that it's not going to happen again," general manager John Paxson said.
Indeed, it's very possible, with 21 games left in a disappointing season, that Marcus Fizer, Chris Jefferies or Rick Brunson still could be waived so Paxson can take a look at another minor-leaguer.
Guard Jannero Pargo, a Robeson graduate Toronto waived Friday, recently worked out for the Bulls. So did CBA guard DeSean Hadley and NBDL swingman Damone Brown.
"I want to make sure we just don't take six weeks off," Paxson said. "If I can bring some guys in who are hungry and striving for something and [will] throw their bodies on the practice floor, that's a legitimate thing for us. That way, Eddy [Curry] and Tyson [Chandler] still compete in practice. Jamal [Crawford] and Kirk [Hinrich] still compete in practice."
A cynic could say that the influx of journeymen will be the perfect combination—guys who play hard enough to make scores respectable but ultimately fall short so the Bulls' draft position is improved.
A realist might say players like Blount and, Fizer—if he is waived—haven't lit the world on fire and the Bulls merely are getting a jump on seeing many players in NBA game situations rather than waiting until the summer league.
"We're trying to win," coach Scott Skiles said. "I'm taken aback a little bit about why we shouldn't be trying something. … If we're not proactive in trying to do some things to improve our team and look at different guys, then we're not doing our jobs."
That said, Skiles conceded playing such inexperienced players could hurt the team's execution in late-game situations. A lack of calls from officials could result as well.
But don't expect the trend to stop down the stretch. Waiving Blount, one of the team's best-liked players, proved that.
"There was no malice in it," Paxson said. "I'm not insensitive to how guys feel at all. … My job is just different than the players'."
Paxson's job is to evaluate as many players as possible for the future. That's happening on the court, as well as in the upcoming draft, which is heavy on high-schoolers.
"I can't say never," Paxson said. "But that'd be tough to throw somebody like that into the mix."
