Although he has only played a handful of games for the Chicago Bulls in the Summer League, Cristiano Felicio has stood out for the Bulls already. Already enough to sign him. Bulls GM Gar Forman told reporters that he was impressed by the Brazilian big man's work ethic. Felicio is a 6'10" power forward/center from Brazil, and he will certainly have to prove himself coming into training camp and his signing means there will likely be some roster moves in the near future.
First with the signing of Felicio, the futures of Cameron Bairstow and Nazr Mohammed in Chicago are now in jeopardy. Both of those players are there for depth and in case of injury. But now with Felicio, both have to step it up. Bairstow has to show in Summer League he can be a reliable backup and Mohammed has to show that he can still compete at a high level in the league. If either of them slip then Felicio can take their spot.
But his signing could also mean that Taj Gibson's chances of being traded have gone up as well. With the likes of Pau Gasol and the emergence of Nikola Mirotic and the arrival of Bobby Portis, Gibson has become a forgotten man in Chicago. He is now over 30 years old and won't be healthy when the season starts due to ankle surgery. Although he won't be healthy, teams know the value of Gibson as he is a great rebounder and his outside jump shot has improved. He could be on the move this year.
Along with Gibson, Joakim Noah should also be on alert. Entering a contract year, if Felicio turns out to be anything like the Bulls hope he can be then Noah's future in Chicago is also in jeopardy. Like Gibson, he is over 30 and has knee issues that really hampered him last year. If Noah can show that last year was just a down year and comes back to his high energy self, then his chances of re-signing with Chicago improves dramatically.
There are a lot of questions about this signing. Why another big man? Why couldn't they have signed a guard like Vander Blue, an area the Bulls could use more depth. Maybe the Bulls have found a diamond in the rough in Felicio but it is all a mystery. This move certainly raises more questions about the packed frontcourt of the Chicago Bulls.