When Patrick Williams and Ayo Dosunmu announced they would not be playing with the Bulls during the 2022 Summer League, Bulls fans probably started thinking about who will be on the roster except for the Bulls’ 2022 First Round Pick, Dalen Terry. Many people thought this team wouldn’t win without Dosunmu and Williams, but that didn’t happen.
Chicago would play well and finish the Summer League with a 4-1. Their only loss came against the New York Knicks, who lost today against the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2022 Summer League Championship Game. Dalen Terry and 2020 Second Round Pick Marko Simonovic were significant contributors, Carlik Jones, Justin Lewis, etc. Here are my four takeaways from the Chicago Bulls 2022 Summer League.
1. Terry shows offensive improvement
It took some time for Bulls Rookie Dalen Terry to get going, but he improved every game, especially on offense. Terry had to learn quickly with a more significant offensive role than in his role at the University of Arizona. After Chicago selected Terry with the 18th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, questions started to arise about his scoring and shooting. Terry struggled in his first Summer League game with 9 points, shooting 3-for-7 from the field. He responded with three straight games of double-digit points. Terry understood his role and showed he could move without the ball and cut to the basketball, which is needed with the Chicago Bulls. His best performance was in the 89-73 win over the Hornets, in which he had 20 points, shooting 8-for-12 from the field and 2-for-2 from three.
2. Simonovic deserves a chance with Bulls
Marko Simonovic started the 2022 Summer League with a strong performance of 27 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 10-for-19 from the field. That includes a game-winning free throw to get Chicago to 1-0. But he struggled in games 2 (Knicks and 3 (Raptors), shooting a combined 3-for-11 from the field. He scored at least 15 points and grabbed at least eight rebounds in the final two games. In the last game, he made a statement with a 26-point performance, shooting 11-for-15 from the field. Simonovic deserves a chance to prove himself at the NBA level. The question will be how Chicago gives him minutes with Vucevic and Drummond ahead of him in the depth chart. Remember, Vucevic will be a free agent after the 2022-23 season.
3. Carlik Jones earned a Two-way Contract
At the start of the Summer League, Carlik Jones was a name nobody knew. In 5 games as a starter, he averaged 11.6 points and 6.2 assists on 53.7% shooting from the field. Jones struggled in game 1, shooting 1-for-7 from the field, but managed to get 6 points and got his teammates involved with nine assists. The former Louisville guard led the Bulls in assists in all three wins during the Summer League. His best performance came in the last game against the 76ers, in which he had 15 points, nine assists, five steals, and shot 6-for-11 from the field. Jones won’t be able to earn a two-way contract with the Bulls since they have gotten used on Liberty and Lewis. But he will earn a two-way contract with another team or an invite to a training camp.
4. Freeman-Liberty and Lewis will shine with Windy City Bulls
Javon Freeman-Liberty and Justin Lewis, before the 2022 Summer League, accepted Two-Way Contracts from the Chicago Bulls. Two-Way Contracts mean they will start with the Windy City Bulls but can be called to play at the NBA level with the Chicago Bulls. Lewis, projected to go in the second round of the 2022 draft, had a quiet 2022 Summer League averaging 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds, shooting 47.2% from the field. I would compare Lewis to a guy like Bulls forward Patrick Williams. Versatile forward can stretch out the floor and guard positions 1-4.
Javon Freeman-Liberty, out of DePaul University, averaged 6.6 points on 38.7% shooting from the field. But he scored in double-digits twice, including his best Summer League performance of 11 points on 4-for-7 from the field in 14 minutes. Hopefully, he gets more minutes with the Windy City Bulls in the fall.
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