The Chicago Bulls’ first two Summer League games felt like watching a middle school musical. Some performers were trying too hard, while others looked completely lost. The ugly shot selection was equivalent to tone-deaf singing. And the turnovers were just as messy as the dancing.
While it’s nice that everyone out there took things seriously, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get the best show. This is especially true when arguably the team’s lead, Dalen Terry, posted a 9-35 shooting effort under the spotlight.
Unfortunately, Terry didn’t do a whole lot better in Game 3 on Tuesday night. The No. 18 pick from the 2022 NBA Draft scored just 4 points on 2-7 shooting to go along with 4 turnovers. Now, to his credit, he did continue to make a difference on the glass and in the playmaking department. He finished with 7 rebounds, 3 of which came on the offensive end. As for the assist column, he dropped 5 dimes. His high motor, court vision, and defensive versatility are three things that almost any team would love to have in the rotation, but he’s going to have a hard time finding the minutes to do those things if he can’t be trusted to hit shots.
Putting Terry’s scoring inefficiencies aside, however, Game 3 was by far the most encouraging exhibition from this young group of Bulls. Both Julian Phillips and Adama Sanogo made the most of their 22 minutes on the floor, with the two rookies combining for 31 points and 13 rebounds. I’m going to talk a little bit more about exactly what each player did well in a separate post, so look out for that later today.
Javon Freeman-Liberty has shown that he’s ready for an NBA opportunity in his second-ever Summer League stint. The guard followed up his 24-point showing against Memphis with a game-high 28-point showing against the Sacramento Kings. Once again, he easily looked like one of the most comfortable and confident players on the floor. Not only did he keep the offense in sync with his 6 assists, but he relentlessly attacked the Kings off the dribble and put together a 7-7 performance from the free-throw line. The way he plays the game is fast and decisive. I don’t know if it merely comes off that way because of the level of competition he’s going up against. But I do know he should at least get a chance to show if he can replicate some of this success on an NBA roster.
The Bulls do currently have a couple of full-time roster spots left open. They also should have at least one two-way contract to offer. Especially if Ayo Dosunmu doesn’t end up wearing a Bulls jersey next year, it feels like Freeman-Liberty might be a worthwhile gamble. Heck, even if Dosunmu returns, extending him at least a two-way slot might be wise. I know there would be a rather significant logjam at the guard position, but developing young talent needs to remain a priority for this organization. If the Bulls don’t keep him around for further evaluation, I have a very good feeling someone else will.
Do you know who Freeman-Liberty makes me think of? Every random role player on the Miami Heat. He feels like the type of guy who that organization would develop and eventually turn into some kind of difference-maker in the rotation. To be clear, I’m not saying that he is that right now, but he feels like the kind of hard-nosed and disciplined talent a smart organization like that would invest in.
I totally forgot to share this, so sorry if you’ve heard about it already! But Andre Drummond gave a bunch of young players quite amazing advice. Channeling his own NBA experience – when he went from a multi-time All-Star to a vet minimum player in the span of three seasons – he stressed just how important being an excellent teammate can be:
“Some of you are coming from teams where you’re the man, you play 100 minutes, you score 1,000 points, x, y, and z. That’s not what this is fellas. And the sooner you realize that sh*t the better. Pouting on the bench, making faces, not cheering your teammates on …
I’m going to tell you something. Fellas, I was that guy. I was a $100 million guy. I was pouting. I was upset when I wasn’t playing. I had a bad attitude. I went from $100 million to a league minimum. It’s a personal story I’m sharing with you right now. They don’t care how many rebounds you get, how many 3s you make. They care about you as a person. Are you a good teammate? A good locker room guy? A good teammate? Somebody the can count on each and every night. I’m talking about consistency. You play 100 percent every single time you step on that floor. Consistency, fellas. Consistency.”
I mean, wow! I think that quote alone gives us a much better idea of the kind of teammate Drummond is behind the scenes. I’m glad to know he’s bringing that energy into the Bulls’ locker room, and I’m excited he ultimately decided to return for his second year in Chicago. I know his role may not be the biggest with Vucevic in town, but I still think he should be considered one of the better backup big men in the league. You can watch the full video here:
The NBA’s board of governors finalized the addition of both the flopping penalty and the second coach challenge. Ultimately, I think both were necessary moves, but I am for sure a bit skeptical of how the flopping rule will be implemented. It just seems like a tough thing to judge in real time. With that said, its mere existence should stop players from trying to trick the ref and motivate them to play more honest defense.
The NBA Board of Governors today approved an in-game flopping penalty and expanded use of the Coach’s Challenge.
Both rule changes will be implemented beginning with the 2023-24 NBA season.
If you like any of the work here at BN Bulls, you’re bound to also like Points in the Podcast. Originally a fun side project for me, co-worker Matt Rooney has joined me and we’ve brought the show to BN and Betsperts. We’ll now go live every week to talk about the Bulls AND the entire NBA. You can watch live by subscribing to the Betsperts YouTube page here. We’ll also, of course, have the podcast uploaded on Spotify here and Apple here. I know it’s cliche to say, but subscribing and dropping a rating is a major help when it comes to getting more eyeballs on the show. I hope you all like it, and if you have any recommendations/suggestions for what you’d like to see, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.
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