NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bulls revealed their official 2022-23 training camp roster ahead of Monday’s Media Day at the Advocate Center.
The 20-man group will be boiled down over the net handful of weeks, but that process shouldn’t come with much suspense. A quiet offseason left the Bulls with a very familiar 15-man unit, which means the biggest training camp battle will surround the last remaining two-way spot.
The team did clarify that Justin Lewis – who suffered a torn ACL earlier this offseason – remains the only player on a two-way contract. Malcolm Hill was thought to have held the other spot heading into this season, but the official release indicates that he will have to compete alongside the other training camp invites to reclaim the position.
Carlik Jones, Javon Freeman-Liberty, and Kostas Antetokounmpo will be the three additional players duking it out to sit on the Bulls’ bench. Both Jones and Freeman-Liberty played for the organization during Summer League this past season, while Antetokounmpo was only recently signed to a training camp deal after previous NBA stints with the Lakers and Mavericks.
As little court time as players on a two-way deal get, I still have to imagine the front office will consider the current roster construction when making a decision. With that being the case, I view Antetokounmpo as already holding an edge over his fellow camp participants. An athletic six-foot-ten forward with a defense-first mentality, he would give the Bulls a little more traditional size in the frontcourt.
If he fails to prove himself, however, I could see Hill securing the spot again. Hill showed some solid flashes as a wing defender last season and possesses a decent 3-point shot. He may not provide the youthful upside that other options do, but he is at least a familiar face for this coaching staff.
Regardless, while I’ll have my eye on this camp competition, I can’t pretend like it means much for the team’s immediate success. Depth is important, but these guys will rarely see the floor.
