The Chicago Bulls had a somewhat disappointing year last season but have hope moving forward. In addition to Lonzo Ball getting healthy, the Bulls made some changes in order to improve moving forward. Chicago resigned Zach LaVine and Derrick Jones Jr as the main moves this offseason. They also added some notable rotation pieces in Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond. The Bulls also drafted Dalen Terry with the 18th overall pick and signed Justin Lewis to an undrafted free agent deal. The wait for basketball is nearly over as the summer league is set to tip-off. They will begin on Friday, July 8th and face off against the Dallas Mavericks.
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2 major reasons Bulls fans should be hyped for 2022 NBA Las Vegas Summer League
Dalen Terry
He may not have the eye-popping stats but Terry is one of the most exciting players in the previous draft class. The Arizona product averaged 8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on a loaded Arizona roster. Terry also shot 36.4% of his three-point attempts in his sophomore season. He was a leader on the team and helped steer Arizona to their number one ranking this year. The 19-year-old was initially looked at as a fringe first-round pick but rocketed up draft boards ahead of the draft.
While there are certainly appealing attributes in his game, a great deal of Terry's appeal does not show up on the stat sheets. He has an infectious energy and is a fantastic teammate. The 19-year-old was seen jumping around and rooting for teammates throughout his two seasons at Arizona. He is a high-level defender and will help set the culture in Chicago. While Terry was overshadowed by some of his teammates at Arizona, he will have an opportunity to run the show in the summer league. Benedict Mathurin and Christian Koloko may have had the more decorated college careers, but Terry was impactful in calling plays and running the show. Look for him to step up and play a similar role with the Bulls in summer league.
Some things don’t show up on the stat sheet
Look at Dalen Terry’s celebration after he passes up a free basket for a Bennedict Mathurin highlight reel dunk. This type of unselfishness and passion is infectious to an NBA team
Going to make an awesome member of the Chicago Bulls pic.twitter.com/pxdDZ6aOtX
— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) June 25, 2022
Justin Lewis
Another notable addition to the Bulls roster to watch is Justin Lewis. Following the draft, Chicago signed the Marquette wing to a two-way deal. The 20-year-old has an NBA-ready body who showed some intriguing flashes in his two seasons in college. Lewis took a massive step forward as a sophomore and averaged 16.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1,7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He also shot 34.9% on 5.2 three-point attempts per game. Standing 6'7″ and with the ability to switch on the defensive side of the ball gives him intriguing potential.
While he has already locked up a contract with the organization, the summer league will be Justin Lewis' first chance to show what he can do. He must improve his discipline and consistency and this will be the first step in progressing. Lewis lacks some one-on-one ability and is overly reliant on his right hand, but the holes in his game are very fixable. Even considering his weaknesses it was surprising the lack of draft traction he received. Look for Justin Lewis to come in with a chip on his shoulder and make some teams regret not drafting him.
There are a few other notable players to watch, but Terry and Justin Lewis are sure to be the centerpieces of Chicago's summer league roster. 2022 second-round pick Marko Simonovic will also be participating with the team. The 6'11” big man has played just 35 total minutes with the Bulls and needs to further his development. Malcolm Hill will also be participating after being on a two-way deal with the Bulls last season. Hill played a total of 166 minutes last season with Chicago. Makur Maker will also be playing with the Bulls summer league roster. The Howard University standout is the cousin of Thon Maker and is the highest-ranked player in modern basketball recruiting to commit to a historically black college or university.
While there will not be any high-flying Zach LaVine dunks or smooth DeMar DeRozan mid-range buckets, the Chicago Bulls summer league roster is still worth tuning in for. Look for each of these young prospects to give their best effort and look to secure their long-term future with the franchise.
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