The Chicago Bulls have signed forward Torrey Craig to a two-year deal. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
According to the Bulls, Craig recorded career-high averages in points (7.4), rebounds (5.4), assists (1.5), blocks (0.8) and minutes (24.7) while appearing in 79 games (60 starts) with the Phoenix Suns in 2022-23.
Craig shot a career-best .395 from a three-point range and made 100 three-pointers (100-253 3FG) on the season. He was the only Suns player to total at least 50 steals (50) and 50 blocks (62) in 2022-23.
Craig continued his stellar play into the 2023 NBA Playoffs, starting all five games in the first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers while posting 12.4 points per game (.647 FG%, .556 3FG%) to go along with 3.6 rebounds per contest.
The six-year NBA veteran tallied a postseason career-high 22 points (9-12 FG, 2-4 3FG) in the series’ opener before hitting five and three triples in Games Two and Three, respectively. Craig has appeared in 75 playoff games throughout his career, averaging 4.7 points and 3.2 rebounds in 16.3 minutes.
A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Craig holds career NBA averages of 6.0 points (.456 FG%, .347 3FG%), 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.6 blocks in 19.9 minutes through 379 games (153 starts).
He began his NBA career on a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets in 2017-18 before signing a multi-year deal with the Nuggets from 2018-20. Craig then suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks (2020-21), Indiana Pacers (2021-22) and Phoenix Suns on two stints (2020-21, 2021-23).
Prior to the NBA, Craig spent four seasons at the University of South Carolina Upstate while averaging 16.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks in 31.0 minutes across 131 games (124 starts).
Craig was a three-time First Team All-Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) selection (2012, 2013, 2014) while earning A-Sun Player of the Year in 2012. As a freshman, he was the 2011 A-Sun Rookie of the Year and named to the 2010-11 A-Sun All-Freshman team, his bio states.
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
