NEWSLETTER
Put on some sweatpants and grab a beer, it’s time for some NBA Summer League!
It’s 2:00 p.m. on a Monday? Oh.
Open a second tab on your computer and grab a coffee, it’s time for some NBA Summer League!
Broadcast Info
Bulls vs. Pelicans at Thomas at Mac Center in Las Vegas – 2:00 p.m. CT on ESPN2
Chicago Bulls Roster
Patrick Williams (F)
Ayo Dosunmu (G)
Marko Simonovic (F/C)
Devon Dotson (PG)
Simi Shittu (PF)
Omari Spellman (PF)
Jerome Robinson (SG)
Tyler Bey (SF)
Jaylen Adams (PG)
Ethan Thompson (SG)
Sterling Manley (F/C)
Troy Baxter Jr. (SG)
Ryan Daly (G/F)
Your 2021 Summer League Bulls! ☀️ pic.twitter.com/cj6ShRGUPH
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) August 4, 2021
New Orleans Pelicans Roster
Kira Lewis Jr. (G)
Herbert Jones (F)
Moses Wright (C)
Trey Murphy (G/F)
Anzejs Pasecniks (C)
Naji Marshall (SF)
Jose Alvarado (G)
Malcolm Hill (G)
Daulton Hommes (PF)
David DiLeo (PF)
Didi Louzada (G)
What to Watch For …
• After the event was canceled last offseason, Patrick Williams will walk into Summer League with 71 professional starts under his belt at just 19 years old. While we still need to temper our expectations, the hope is that Williams can flash some of the clear improvements he made over the offseason, specifically on the offensive end. Williams looked far too hesitant at times to attack the basket despite his NBA-ready frame. He played a bit too loose with the ball when he got into the opposing team’s defense, and his body control around the rim struggled at times. Some of that seemed to be a confidence issue, and this will now be a great opportunity to build that confidence heading into a pivotal Year 2 where the Bulls are looking to take a big competitive next step.
FWIW Patrick Williams shot just 27-72 on driving layups last season despite having the ballhandling and frame to be a real threat.
Dude often hesitated to attack or either went up too way strong. Would love to see him have more body control and be more decisive in Summer League.
— Elias Schuster (@Schuster_Elias) August 9, 2021
• For the first game, we’re sticking to the big names: Ayo Dosunmu will be a must-watch over these next five games. A projected first-round talent by many, there is no question he will walk into Las Vegas with a chip on his shoulder after falling to his hometown team at No. 38. He is not going to be a player who shocks you with his sheer athleticism or explosiveness, but he has the kind of versatility to make an impact across the box score. And it’s exactly that kind of versatility that could get him into the Bulls rotation sooner than later. I’ll be very curious to see what kind of role he plays over these next couple of weeks. Will he get his chance to be the top playmaker like he was in college or will he show us that he can fill a different kind of role?
• Speaking of big names, THE WAIT IS OVER! The Bulls 2020 second-round pick Marko Simonovic came to Chicago this summer, and the big man is ready to test his skills at the NBA level. Overall, we know very little about exactly what kind of job this Bulls team expects Simonovic to have. He traditionally played center overseas, but he appears to have the shooting ability and ballhandling to fill the four spot adequately. Regardless, it looks like Simonovic is going to have to be ready to enter the Bulls rotation in August, as the team is currently lacking frontcourt depth after a chaotic free agency.
For more on Summer League, and the expectations we should have, check out our post from this morning:
Summer League Starts Today, Lonzo Bull, Felicio Finds a New Home, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/Vq1e7JrQEi
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) August 9, 2021
