On July 3, 2025, the Chicago Bulls unveiled their NBA Summer League roster, spotlighting former No. 12 overall pick Josh Primo alongside All-Rookie Team member Matas Buzelis, per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints. Primo, a 22-year-old Canadian guard, last played in the NBA during the 2023-24 season with the LA Clippers, averaging a mere 1.0 points in two games, per ESPN. Drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2021 out of Alabama, Primo’s career has been turbulent, marked by a 5.7 PPG average across 56 games and off-court challenges, including a four-game NBA suspension in 2023, per Yahoo Sports. His brief stint with the Bulls’ G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, last season ended early due to an ankle injury, per @BamaProUpdates. X buzzes with cautious optimism, with fans posting, “Primo’s got a chance to prove himself!” and “Bulls giving him a lifeline?” per @MiloxWorld and @TheMidRangeNews. This analysis explores Primo’s journey, his Summer League opportunity, and its implications for the Bulls and his career.
The Chicago Bulls announced their Summer League roster, which features All-Rookie Team member Matas Buzelis as well as former Clippers guard Josh Primo. pic.twitter.com/RSGbrUEq0N
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) July 3, 2025
Josh Primo’s Rise and Fall: A Promising Talent Derailed
Josh Primo, born December 24, 2002, in Toronto, emerged as a five-star recruit from Royal Crown Academic School, choosing Alabama over Creighton, per Wikipedia. At 18, the youngest player in college basketball, he averaged 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds, earning SEC All-Freshman honors, per Basketball-Reference. His standout NBA Combine performance in 2021, praised by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony for “really nice passes” and scoring flair, led to his selection as the No. 12 pick by the Spurs, per ESPN. Primo’s rookie season showed promise, averaging 5.8 points in 50 games, but his 37.1% FG and 30.0% 3PT hinted at inconsistency, per RealGM.
In October 2022, Primo’s career took a hit when the Spurs waived him after allegations of indecent exposure by a team psychologist, per The Athletic. Though no criminal charges were filed due to insufficient evidence, the NBA suspended him for four games in September 2023 for “conduct detrimental to the league,” per Yahoo Sports. Primo signed a two-way contract with the Clippers, converted to a standard deal, but played only two games before a navicular bone stress fracture in his left ankle sidelined him, per ESPN. Waived by the Clippers in April 2024, Primo briefly joined the Bulls on an Exhibit-10 contract in October 2024, only to be waived the next day, per Hoops Rumors. His G League stint with the Windy City Bulls ended prematurely in December 2024, per @BamaProUpdates.
The Bulls’ Summer League Gamble
Josh Primo will be playing for the Chicago Bulls’ Summer League team. Primo was briefly on the Bulls’ G League affiliate last season while he was coming back from an ankle injury, but was released early in the season. https://t.co/47x7UM1A0y
— Alabama Pro Updates (@BamaProUpdates) July 3, 2025
The Bulls’ decision to include Primo in their 2025 Summer League roster, announced on July 3, 2025, offers a low-risk chance to evaluate the 6’5” guard, per Sports Illustrated. Chicago, coming off a 39-43 season and a play-in loss to the Miami Heat, missed the playoffs for the third straight year, per ESPN. With a $178.7M payroll and a youth-focused rebuild around Matas Buzelis (12.3 PPG in 2024-25) and Coby White (19.1 PPG), the Bulls seek high-upside talent, per Spotrac. Primo’s inclusion, alongside 2025 draft picks Noa Essengue and Lachlan Olbrich, signals a focus on development, per Chicago Tribune.
Primo’s Summer League role, starting July 11 against the Raptors, is critical. His G League stats with the Ontario Clippers (16.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.3 APG, 46.9% FG in 30 games) show promise, per Hoops Rumors. His positional size, open-floor quickness, and playmaking, as noted by Givony, could complement Buzelis’ versatility, per ESPN. However, his 30.0% 3PT shooting and injury history—missing time in college for an MCL sprain and in 2024 for an ankle fracture—raise concerns, per Wikipedia. X posts reflect mixed sentiment: “Primo’s a steal if he stays healthy!” but “Can he overcome his past?” per @BamaProUpdates and @chisportsross.
Chicago’s Rebuild and Primo’s Fit
The Bulls’ 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference (39-43) exposed offensive struggles (17th in ORTG, 112.3) and defensive inconsistency (20th in DRTG, 114.8), per NBA.com. Trading DeMar DeRozan to Sacramento marked a shift toward youth, with Buzelis and Josh Giddey (13.9 PPG) as cornerstones, per Bleacher Report. Primo, at 22, fits this timeline, offering guard depth behind White and Zach LaVine (19.5 PPG), per The Athletic. His 1.1 SPG in the G League suggests defensive potential, but his 1.8 APG and 2.3 RPG in the NBA indicate limited impact, per RealGM.
Coach Billy Donovan III, leading the Summer League squad, will test Primo’s ability to lead less experienced teammates, per Chicago Tribune. A strong showing could earn him a two-way contract, especially with Chicago’s open roster spot, per HoopsHype. However, Primo faces competition from Yuki Kawamura, a 5’8” playmaker, and local talent Javon Freeman-Liberty, per Chicago Tribune. X fans note, “Primo needs to ball out to stay!” per @byjuliapoe.
Risks and Challenges
Alabama’s Josh Primo had arguably the best day of anyone at the NBA Combine yesterday, especially considering he’s just 18-years old. Made shots as always but also showed more upside as a creator than we had previously seen, with some really nice passes. pic.twitter.com/B7NxevGGoz
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 24, 2021
Primo’s off-court issues, though not criminally charged, tarnish his reputation, sparking “visceral reactions” among fans, per The Athletic. His signing drew criticism on X, with some calling it a “PR risk” for a Bulls team already navigating Josh Giddey’s allegations, per @chisportsross. On the court, Primo’s 37.1% FG and injury history—most recently a wheelchair-assisted exit in March 2024—raise doubts about durability, per CBSSports. His limited NBA minutes (5.0 MPG with the Clippers) and release from three teams in two years suggest he’s yet to translate college promise, per EssentiallySports.
For the Bulls, rostering Primo is low-cost but high-stakes. A poor Summer League could see him relegated to the G League again, while a breakout might force a roster decision amid a $10.2M luxury tax hit, per Spotrac. Primo’s ongoing rehab, per ESPN, adds uncertainty, as he hasn’t played since March 24, 2024. X posts warn, “Bulls can’t afford another bust!” per @TheMidRangeNews.
Broader NBA Implications
Primo’s Summer League stint reflects the NBA’s appetite for reclamation projects, akin to players like Ben Simmons or Markelle Fultz, per The Athletic. The Bulls’ youth movement mirrors San Antonio’s patient build around Victor Wembanyama, where Primo once played, per Bleacher Report. With the 2025 playoffs featuring high-octane teams like the Pacers and Thunder, per NBA.com, Chicago needs guards who can stretch defenses, an area where Primo’s 30.0% 3PT lags, per Basketball-Reference. His arc could influence how teams approach high-risk prospects, with X buzzing, “Primo’s last shot to shine!” per @MiloxWorld.
Josh Primo’s inclusion in the Chicago Bulls’ 2025 Summer League roster, announced July 3, 2025, offers a critical chance to revive a career stalled by injuries and controversy, per ClutchPoints. His Alabama pedigree and No. 12 draft status in 2021 contrast with a modest 5.7 PPG NBA career, per ESPN. As the Bulls, fresh off a 39-43 season and play-in loss, pivot to youth, Primo’s playmaking and size could earn him a roster spot, per The Athletic. X fans are split, with “Primo’s redemption arc starts now!” and “Bulls taking a big gamble,” per @BamaProUpdates and @chisportsross. Starting July 11, Primo’s Summer League performance will decide if he can overcome his past and secure an NBA future.