Bulls Shut Down Nick Richards For Final Two Games As Unrestricted Free Agency Looms

**TL;DR:** Nick Richards will miss Chicago's final two games with an elbow injury, ending his 20-game Bulls tenure ahead of unrestricted free agency.

**Context:** The Bulls acquired the 7-foot center at the trade deadline in early February. In 20 games with Chicago, he provided steady production in a limited role. Head coach Billy Donovan announced Friday that Richards won't play against Orlando on Friday or Dallas on Sunday.

**Key Facts:** Richards averaged 9.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 22.4 minutes per game while shooting 52.3% from the field. He sprained his right elbow in recent games. With Guerschon Yabusele also ruled out for the final two contests, the Bulls will lean on Leonard Miller, Patrick Williams and Lachlan Olbrich for frontcourt minutes. Richards is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

**What It Means:** The timing removes any final evaluation window for a player Chicago could look to re-sign. Teams typically prioritize in-person looks at pending free agents in late-season games. Richards' 20-game sample size—while productive—now stands as his entire Bulls body of work. The Bulls front office must decide whether his performance warrants a contract offer without the benefit of further game footage. His injury also creates immediate roster pressure, forcing less experienced bigs into larger roles against playoff-bound opponents. Watch for Chicago's front office moves in the coming weeks as the team evaluates its frontcourt depth heading into the offseason.