Bulls add slam dunk champion Mac McClung to Windy City roster |
Dustin Riese
· · 3 hours ago
It's hard to believe the NBA season is right around the corner as the Chicago Bulls will kick things off this Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons. This is a game that will not only test the Bulls from start to finish, but when you look at the Bulls' first month of the season, they could have arguably the most challenging schedule in the league, which doesn't bode well for a team looking to climb in the Eastern Conference standings.
To make matters worse, they will be down two huge rotational pieces as both Coby White and Zach Collins are expected to miss several weeks, further putting the organizational depth into question. When it comes to White, it's no surprise to see him miss some time as he failed to appear in a single preseason game due to a calf strain. Knowing the history of calf strains and the possibility of an Achilles Tear to follow, the Bulls are going to play it safe with their guard as he is expected to miss the first two weeks of the season. Collins, on the other hand, was a surprise injury after playing very well throughout the preseason. It wasn't until the final game when he fractured his wrist and will now miss at least a month undergoing surgery. Those are the two biggest stories when it comes to the NBA roster, but the Bulls have made some moves within the organization as they look to add even more depth to their G-League roster with the potential to make an impact on the NBA roster. The most notable move came over the weekend as three-time NBA dunk champion Mac McClung has agreed to a deal with the Bulls and is now part of their G-League affiliate. When you talk about some of the more exciting players in the game, the 26-year-old McClung comes to mind as the high flyer has made a name for himself as the game's best dunker, putting on a clinic in the past three Dunk Contests. Given his ability to get to the rim, McClung has had no issues landing on three-way deals, but he has had issues seeing any significant NBA time as he has logged just six career NBA games. Don't expect to see him on the Bulls roster anytime soon unless major injuries and trades alter the direction this team is heading. Even at that, McClung is an exciting player and one who will almost instantly increase the attendance at NOW Arena, as he is a one-man show that will go off at any point. When you look at what McClung has done in the G-League, the talent and potential are clearly there if someone gives him an opportunity to prove himself on an NBA roster. McClung has starred in the G League in recent years, earning a spot on the All-NBAGL first team in 2024/25 after being named MVP in ’23/24. In a total of 44 appearances for the Osceola Magic last season, he averaged 23.0 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 32.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .481/.344/.828. G-League or not, that production can't be overlooked as he is the definition of a walking bucket. Given the roster crunch for the Bulls, and knowing they can only roster 15 players, adding McClung won't be as easy as it sounds. With 15 players on guaranteed contracts and three on two-way deals, the Bulls may not have a spot available on their regular-season roster for McClung. If the plan is to have him play for their G League affiliate, then the Windy City Bulls would need to acquire his returning rights from Osceola. Assuming McClung signs an Exhibit 10 contract, he’d be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with Windy City.
