Joshua Primo is a smooth-shooting, seemingly effortless but certainly relentless scoring guard. At only 21 years old, Primo, the 12th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, is still a promising prospect.
But Primo’s basketball ability has been overshadowed by a checkered past. When his name surfaces, as it did Thursday when the Chicago Bulls signed him to a non-guaranteed, exhibit-10 contract, it causes a visceral reaction. The Bulls almost immediately waived Primo, paving the way for him to resurrect his career with the Bulls’ G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, or perhaps play his way into Chicago’s final two-way contract.
Still, the signing sparked an immediate wave of internet snark.
Primo was suspended and then released by the San Antonio Spurs only six games into the 2022-23 season. An NBA investigation later found that he exposed himself to multiple women, though Primo maintained that his conduct was not intentional. In a statement to ESPN, Primo said at the time that he needed further “mental health treatment.”
“I know that you all are surprised by today’s announcement,” the October 2022 statement read. “I’ve been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully. I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time.”
Eleven months later, on the same day the Los Angeles Clippers signed Primo to a two-way contract, the NBA closed its investigation by announcing a four-game suspension for Primo for conduct detrimental to the league. Primo appeared in only two contests for the Clippers last season, logging 10 minutes. He’s averaging 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 56 career NBA games.
Primo’s arrival into the Bulls’ organization, even if only in the G League, comes just 3 1/2 months after the franchise acquired Josh Giddey, another talented player who has faced troubling allegations.
Josh Giddey and Joshua Primo were competitors in 2022. Now, they’re both looking to find a spot on Chicago’s roster. (Alonzo Adams / USA Today)
From Lonzo Ball to Coby White, the Bulls have some upstanding citizens on their roster. But acquiring two players who faced allegations involving women doesn’t do the franchise any favors in the court of public opinion. Giddey has star potential, and his performance rather than his past will largely determine his reception. Primo, on the other hand, remains a project. His signing is purely a low-risk, high-reward proposition.
But there’s a reason the Bulls are suddenly welcoming them: They don’t have much choice. Chicago backed itself into a corner three years ago with aggressive, win-now moves that continue to have lingering effects. The team’s front office relinquished two first-round draft picks in the trade that brought Nikola Vučević and another first-rounder, a top-10 protected 2025 selection, to San Antonio in the trade that brought DeMar DeRozan to Chicago.
Recent contract extensions for Vučević, White, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams and Ayo Dosunmu have eaten the team’s salary cap flexibility. Additionally, there are limited trade assets at the Bulls’ disposal. There are few alternatives other than Chicago rummaging through the scrap heap in hopes of someone panning out and becoming a star.
When championship-level organizations take such chances, they’re seen as forward-thinking. Being at the other end of the spectrum, the Bulls haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt. Nothing about the franchise over the past decade suggests it is a sanctuary for players with baggage.
Instead, after bringing Primo into their organization, the Bulls look more like beggars who understand that their past missteps mean they can’t be choosy.
(Photo: Christian Inoferio / NBAE via Getty Images)
