CHICAGO — As the Chicago Bulls approach the fall with an open roster spot, they’ve been linked to LA Clippers restricted free agent guard Bennedict Mathurin. The Bulls’ reported interest in Mathurin, though, has been overstated, according to a league source who was granted anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations.Mathurin, the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, averaged 17.6 points per game in 54 games with the Indiana Pacers and the Clippers last season. LA can match any contract offer he receives.The Bulls recognize how early they sit in this rebuild, and the desire for talent at any position will trump stylistic need for a roster still discovering its long-term identity. Mathurin, who turned 24 in June, remains a talented young scorer who could be worth a flyer.But Chicago values two things at this stage: roster flexibility and acquiring future assets. Mathurin made roughly $9.2 million this past season, and his next contract is widely expected to exceed that figure in annual value.To create that kind of room, Chicago would likely need to commit to a sign-and-trade. Chicago has exhausted the approximately $54 million in cap space it possessed entering the summer, so it must either use its roughly $9.4 million room exception or execute a sign-and-trade. For a sign-and-trade to be completed, the contract length needs to be at least three years, with the first year guaranteed.