NEWSLETTER
The 2022 Summer League is set to tip off in Las Vegas later tonight, with the Bulls beginning their journey on Friday afternoon against the Dallas Mavericks.
While we never want to put too much stock into five Summer League games, this is an extremely valuable experience for a handful of NBA youngsters. The Bulls will have several players on their roster who are either trying to get comfortable at the next level or fight for a job somewhere else around the league. With that in mind, below is a refresher on when to expect the action and who to keep a close eye on over the next 10 days.
What’s the Schedule?
The Chicago Bulls’ fifth matchup in Las Vegas is currently TBD. If they end up as one of the top-2 teams in attendance after the first four games, they will enter the Summer League Championship game. Any other alternative will result in a random fifth game.
Who’s on the Roster?
The team will be led by Chicago Bulls assistant coach John Bryant.
Who to Watch Closely?
While we can never rule out the possibility of a breakout candidate earning himself a spot on the bench, much of our focus should be on the current members of the Chicago Bulls’ roster.
Dalen Terry is the guy who will undoubtedly draw the most attention whenever he is on the floor. The Bulls opted in favor of selecting the Arizona prospect over hunting trades this offseason, and they went on to express real belief in Terry’s ability to become a key piece to the puzzle. As a six-foot-seven wing with a seven-foot wingspan, Terry possesses strong positional size and a versatile toolbag. He may not be the most awe-inspiring athlete, but he’s a fiery player who can guard multiple positions and turn defense into offense in the blink of an eye.
The expectation will be that Terry instantly shows the kind of energetic impact he can make on the defensive end, but what will we see offensively?
I’ll be curious to see how much Bryant allows Terry to initiate the offense. One of his most underrated skillsets has been his court vision and passing ability, which is something he only got to show in flashes at Arizona due to his low-usage role. Similarly, how much he’s improved as a shot-creator off-the-dribble will be important for Bulls fans to look out for. The rookie admitted this was an area he needed to improve, and I have to imagine his goal will be to demonstrate over these first five games that he’s done just that.
When our eyes aren’t locked on Terry, we should be evaluating 2020 second-round pick Marko Simonovic. The big man spent the strong majority of his rookie campaign with the Windy City Bulls last season despite owning a full-time roster spot in the big leagues.
While it’s hard to imagine him becoming a true part of the rotation this season, the hope would be that he’s at least made enough progress to take the floor if needed. The coaching staff seemed incredibly hesitant to play him in any situation last year, which surely makes you wonder if the team would be better off having someone else’s butt in his chair. This Summer League stint will be a big opportunity for Simonovic to show both the front office and Bulls fans that he’s ready to take the next step in his career. I wrote way more about his eagerness to do just that in the post below:
Malcolm Hill and Justin Lewis are the other two official roster members who will suit up for Chicago over the next two weeks. Hill earned a two-way contract with the organization last season after making the most out of his two 10-day contracts. The Bulls chose to extend him a qualifying offer this summer over Tyler Cook, and it will now be up to Hill to reveal why.
Hill had very brief flashes last season as an active on-ball defender, and he’s long possessed a decent jumper with a strong basketball IQ. Whether or not he’s taken the steps needed to be a consistent member of an NBA roster, though, remains a big question. This Summer League could go a long way toward demonstrating the 26-year-old is a worthwhile gamble over younger competition.
As for Justin Lewis, he was quickly signed as an undrafted free agent once the 2022 NBA Draft wrapped up. The Bulls had enough interest in the forward out of Marquette to immediately hand him a two-way contract, so the hope will be for him to justify that decision early on in Summer League.
Lewis, 20, averaged 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds for Marquette last season. I’m excited to evaluate him further after seeing him take the floor.
