After 161 days, the wait was finally over, and Bulls fans saw their team taking the court for their first preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Not only were Bulls fans happy to see their team play, but Zion Williamson got to play for the first time in 512 days and scored 13 points in 15 minutes.
Zion Williamson was the only Pelicans starter to score in double-digits. C.J. McCollum had 6 points in 14 minutes, and Brandon Ingram did not play. Four players off the bench contributed throughout the game, including Devonte Graham with 21 points in 21 minutes and Jaxson Hayes with 14 points. Will Hernangomez went 6-for-10 from the field resulting in 15 points, and Dyson Daniels struggled, shooting 5-for-15 from the field, but managed to get 15 points.
Slow Start for Chicago
The Bulls didn’t get off the start Bulls fans wanted, with the Pelicans taking an early 13-4 lead. But the Pelicans stayed hot, and Chicago showed no energy on defense except for Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic was active on the defensive end, getting in the lines with two steals and three blocks, including one block against Zion Williamson. The Bulls got Vucevic involved in the post, which is critical to get Vucevic going early in games.
You have to credit the Pelicans, who fought and came out to play, shooting 69% from the field in the first quarter and outscoring Chicago 40-26 in the first quarter. The Pelicans’ ball movement was clean, and they got the open shot by simply driving and kicking out. New Orleans built their lead up to 19 points but finished the first half with a 70-53 lead over Chicago. Another Bulls’ weakness is their interior defense, allowing 32 points in the paint.
Strong Third Quarter for Chicago
Chicago came out of halftime looking like a new squad and got back in the game with a 13-3 run halfway through the third quarter, capped off with an Alex Caruso spin layup and one to cut the lead down to four, 82-78. But when the starters went out of the game after the free throw by Caruso. The Pelicans retook demand of the game with their 8-0 run and got their lead back up to 14 points.
Dalen Terry Shines
The fourth quarter became the Dalen Terry show when he led the Bulls’ comeback alongside Malcolm Hill, who got the Bulls their first lead with a 19-foot jumper with 4:21 left in the game, 115-113. Terry finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes. Right after the Dalen Terry steal that led to the slam dunk, Andre Drummond got ejected (Second Technical Four) for celebrating Terry’s dunk on the court, but weird how he was celebrating next to the Bulls bench, a new rule that got added to the NBA this season. After the ejection, the Pelicans went on a 12-3 run to take a 125-119 run. But after getting the stops late and allowing second chance opportunities, Chicago lost 129-125.
Final Thoughts
Vucevic Strong Game
One of the few positives for the Bulls in their first preseason game was the play of big man Nikola Vucevic. Not only Vucevic got a double-double of 15 points and ten rebounds, but he did the dirty work on defense with two steals and three blocks. Vucevic had only eight games with at least three blocks last season and is expected to be more active on the defensive end. Another positive for the Bulls was the play of Dalen Terry getting to the rim and his energy motivating his teammates to play better; great to see by the 20-year-old.
Zion Williamson is finally back!!
The crazy part about the Pelicans scoring 40 points in the first quarter was how Brandon Ingram wasn’t playing and that starting lineup could be dangerous in the Western Conference. If Zion Williamson can stay on the court, this team could go deep in the postseason. The power of Williamson is real, in good condition, and ready for the season to start.
Up Next
Chicago will face Denver on Friday at the United Center
New Orleans will travel back home to face Detroit on Friday.
(Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
The Chicago Bulls will return to the court with their first preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Though the starters will not play the entire game, the Bulls will play their first game at the United Center since April 24th, when they lost game 4, 119-95, against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2022 Postseason. But the Bulls will look to use the first-round loss as motivation to make a deep 2023 playoff push.
NBA fans will see Zion Williamson play for the first time since May 4th, 2021. This game will be part of the doubleheader on TNT, with the first game being Pistons-Knicks, at 6:00 CT and Bulls-Pelicans at 8:30 CT. These preseason games won’t matter, but the games are fun to watch and see your favorite players play for the first time in months. Here are three things to watch out for during the game.
3 things to Watch Out For
Starting Point Guard Competition
The number one storyline heading into preseason play is who will start at point guard for the Bulls. Early in training camp, Billy Donavon made it clear the four candidates would be Ayo Dosunmu, Goran Dragic, Coby White, and Alex Caruso. You can argue for both players, with Ayo Dosunmu having a solid rookie season and Goran Dragic being a veteran and knowing his job. But ultimately, the final two in the race will be Ayo and Goran.
Rumors have said Ayo Dosunmu will start against the Pelicans, but not official news. Expect Dosunmu to start, but Dragic might play well enough to start on Friday against the Denver Nuggets. Last season, Dragic averaged 7.5 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 21 games with the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors.
First Dalen Terry Appearance
Bulls fans will see Dalen Terry in an official Chicago Bulls jersey at the United Center for the first time this season. Expect Terry to get at least 20 minutes of playing time and play in the second half and possibly in the fourth quarter. During the Summer League, he showed positive signs attacking the basket, scoring in double-digits in three out of the five games. He became more confident every game since he didn’t have a point guard-type role on the Summer League team.
The two areas of improvement for Terry are three-point shooting and turnovers. Terry had 18 turnovers during the five games played in Las Vegas. But with the Bulls, he won’t be expected to have a point guard role. He will be more of a wing player. But the positive side of Terry is his defensive energy, just like Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball. Hopefully, he shows flashes of his excellent on-ball defense against the Pelicans.
Final Two-Way Contract Spot
The most significant part of the Preseason is the battles for the Two-Way Contract, which will be on display with Carlik Jones, Javon Freeman-Liberty, and recently signed Kostas Antetokounmpo. The first two-way contract got given to forward Justin Lewis, who underwent surgery for a right ACL injury in August. The second two-way contract got give to Malcolm Hill last month. All three players are expected to play and might play in the fourth quarter depending on the different lineups and how long the Bulls starters play.
Carlik Jones earned his training camp spot with good performances with the Bulls Summer League squad in Las Vegas. Jones led the Bulls in assists per game at 6.2 and scored in double-digits three times, including a 17-point performance when he went perfect from the field, 7-for-7. Javon Freeman-Liberty got his training camp contract after the draft and struggled in Vegas with the Bulls but finished the Summer League strong with an 11-point performance, 4-for-7 from the field in a Bulls win over the 76ers. The fan-favorite Kostas Antetokounmpo will play his first NBA game since last year with the Los Angeles Lakers.
All Bulls fans know about the current 15-player roster for the 2022-23 NBA Season, but the roster could look very different in two to three years. There could be a chance for these guys to get extensions, but it is unlikely to occur for one of these players. Potentially one of these five players could get traded before the trade deadline. Here are five Bulls contracts to know about heading into the 2022-23 Season.
Nikola Vucevic: 2023 Free Agent
The Bulls and Nikola Vucevic have discussed a possible contract extension, but Vucevic will not get a maximum contract. Though, he can show improvement with his three-point shot and all-around defense to give him a solid try at getting the max contract. Vucevic is set to make $22M this season but will fight during the off-season for more money. But Vucevic will likely end up earning a 20-25M contract.
Chicago and Vucevic have until June 30th to agree on an extension deal; if not, Vucevic will become a free agent. If Vucevic continues to struggle and the Bulls fall in the standings, Chicago might explore trade options for the big man from the Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner, who has been on the trade block recently. But it’s more likely Vucevic will finish the season in a Bulls uniform.
Ayo Dosunmu: 2023 Free Agent
The Bulls could make him a restricted free agent by extending the qualifying offer of $1.9M. But Chicago should strongly consider giving an extension offer to Dosunmu. Why not give the contract to the guy who is from Chicago and attended Illinois University? Another reason for the extension could be because of the unknown future of Lonzo Ball. Ayo will compete with Goran Dragic and Alex Caruso to earn the starting point guard spot in the starting lineup, which will be interesting to watch throughout the preseason.
Dosunmu showed some promise during his rookie season with averages of 8.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds. He has shown he has the potential to become an excellent two-way point guard. In his first NBA start, he had a near triple-double of 11 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in a 109-97 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Coby White: 2023 Free Agent
The Bulls could look to trade Coby White if they need to upgrade a particular position. Just like Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White will have the possible option of a qualifying offer, but Chicago might not want him back. Chicago will start the season with seven guards, including White. Billy Donavon was impressed by Dosunmu and started Dosunmu instead of White once Lonzo Ball got hurt in January. Though, White did start 17 times and averaged 12.9 points. But he wasn’t the playmaker, and it took him time to get going last season since he started the season out recovering from shoulder surgery.
So what will Coby White’s role be on the 2022-23 Chicago Bulls? Who knows, but he will be involved somehow and get some minutes. But White might be more effective as a shooting guard instead of a point guard, which helped his confidence in shooting from three.
DeMar DeRozan: 2024 Free Agent
The one guy everyone will hate to see leave is star DeMar DeRozan. In his first season in Chicago, he had an MVP-type season with averages of 27.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 76 games. He became the king of the fourth quarter by dropping 612 points, which was the most in the fourth quarter last season. DeRozan will get more help with a 100% healthy Zach Lavine and hopefully key contributors of Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic.
But the bad news is DeRozan will enter the second year of his three-year contract with the Bulls and will be 35 years old when the 2024-25 season begins. He wants to win a championship, and his best chances are with the Bulls. But hopefully, Chicago and DeRozan can work out a possible extension. If not, he could be on the move to a different team in 2024.
Billy Donavan: Two Years Left
Chicago Bulls Head Coach Billy Donavon will enter the third season of his four-year contract with the Bulls. Billy was the first significant move in the Marc Eversley and Artūras Karnišovas era. So far as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, he has an even 77-77 record, with the most of his wins coming last season with 46 wins. But if Chicago doesn’t improve their record and falls in the standings next season. Billy could be gone.
Do I think the Bulls will fall in the standings next season? No, but no signs of improvement could make the Bulls management look at different head coaching options. But Billy will have a 50+ win season that could land him a contract extension.
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, center, DeMar DeRozan (11) and Zach LaVine pose for photographers during the NBA basketball team’s Media Day, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
After months of no Chicago Bulls basketball, we are about one week away from their preseason opener against the New Orleans on October 4th, 8:30 CT on TNT. Media Day marks the first time the Bulls are officially back at the United Center, and players and the front office were available to talk to the media. Here are my five takeaways from the Chicago Bulls Media Day 2022.
Bulls Front Office considered all options with Lonzo Ball
Earlier this month, Lonzo Ball returned to Chicago to figure out a plan to get back on the court with the Bulls management. Bulls Vice President Arturas Karnisovas said during his press conference that they don’t know when he will return to the court. Karnisovas explained how the Bulls gave Lonzo Ball “every opportunity to get back on the court without doing the surgery.” But the team will examine Lonzo in 4-6 weeks.
No Decision yet on starting point guard
Head coach Billy Donovan made it clear there has not been a decision on the starting guard for opening night. But Donovan and the coaching staff will have many different lineup options. The four options will be Ayo Dosunmu, Goran Dragic, Alex Caruso, and Coby White. It’s unclear who the favorite is to start, according to Billy Donovan, but there is a strong possibility the starting lineup will not be the same in the final four minutes of a close game.
Every point guard has its pros and cons. With many lineup options, the starting lineup could change every game. But the next couple of weeks will be interesting to see who earns the starting point spot. Donovan is more focused on the team identity than on who is starting.
Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan: Men on a Mission
Zach Lavine is 100% ready and added some new moves during the off-season. ” I feel really good. I feel healthy. I feel strong. My strength work and my conditioning was really good”, Lavine said to David Kaplan on Unfiltered NBC. NBA trainer Drew Hanlen explained how ” Zach Lavine is taking it to another level this season. Over the summer, Lavine was blessed to receive a max contract from the Bulls, “I was very happy to return to the Bulls.”
Something that DeRozan and Lavine will do is prove the haters wrong and be competitive in the Eastern Conference. DeRozan on the East, “I love the competitive island that the East is on. That’s what brings the best out of you when you have the best around. Put me in a room with the best it’s gonna bring the best out of me.” Lavine added to that by saying, “It’s very competitive. I’m ready for it. If we’re not competing for a championship, we’re selling ourselves short.” Lavine and DeRozan will get tested early with their season opener against the Miami Heat on October 19th.
Nikola Vucevic: “It’s about how you get back up”
Every Bulls fan knows about the struggles of Nikola Vucevic shooting the ball, but Vucevic is ready to have a good season. During his first entire season with the new-look Bulls, he had difficulty adjusting his game, Vucevic, during his press conference: “When shots didn’t start falling, I wasn’t in a rhythm, and it took me a while to get out of it. It’s not how you fall; it’s how you can come back up.” Vucevic will become a free agent after the upcoming season, and the Bulls are expected to give Vucevic an extension offer during the season.
Alex Caruso: Won’t change Jersey Number
Alex Caruso gave some thought about changing his number (6) after the recent passing of NBA legend Bill Russell. But according to Caruso, he can’t change his number because his jersey is in the top 75 for jersey sales. Caruso will be the final player in Chicago Bulls history to wear the number 6. He will revisit the decision next season.
But Caruso had some positive things to say about the 2022-23 Bulls squad, “We still really have a good team and want to compete with the best teams in the east.” Just like DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine, Caruso hears the noise about the terrible 2021-22 record against contenders and is one of the motivation factors for the Bulls in the upcoming season.
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in Los Angeles on September 28 and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks, according to the Chicago Bulls, earlier today. Ball arrived in Chicago a couple of weeks ago, and the Bulls announced Ball would miss time into the start of the 2022-23 regular season.
Lonzo Ball has been dealing with a left knee injury since January, when he suffered a meniscus tear and bone bruise. The latest issue has been the bone bruise. He underwent surgery on January 28th to take care of the meniscus tear, which he has fully recovered from. The story with Ball is when he started working out; he would feel discomfort, which has been reported since February when he was supposed to recover within six to eight weeks. But that never happened. In April, he got ruled out for the rest of the season.
When will Ball return?
Chicago will start training camp on September 27th, and the season will begin on October 19th. Four weeks from his surgery date (September 28th) will be October 26th and six weeks will be November 9th. Don’t expect Ball to be ready to play in four to six weeks. Ball will need the rest. If everything goes right, Ball should be ready to play by January. One whole year since the pain began.
In his first season in Chicago, Lonzo Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 35 games. Ball, 24, has not played in an NBA game since January 14th, and back in January, Chicago was on top of the Eastern Conference. But Chicago struggled without Ball, resulting in a 19-23 record, and lost in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks. Chicago will miss Ball on the court, but that was the significant reason for the Goran Dragic signing. Goran Dragic or Ayo Dosunmu will likely start at point guard against the Miami Heat on October 19th.
Kostas Antetokounmpo on the Left (Photo by Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
The Chicago Bulls are signing forward and former Laker Kostas Antetokounmpo to a Training Camp Deal. A couple of weeks ago, Chicago was interested in signing Kostas and now got a deal done after competing in EuroBasket.
During EuroBasket 2022, he competed for his home country of Greece alongside his brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kostas played for only 13 minutes in two games and didn’t score one basket, and went 0-for-3 from the field. But Kostas didn’t play in more than half of the games. During his time so far in the NBA, he played for two teams (Lakers and Mavericks) and averaged 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 22 regular season games. But he won the 2020 NBA Championship with the Lakers.
Why Sign Kostas?
Kostas will likely spend most of the season on the bench or in the G League. But he will have to earn his two-way contract through training camp later this month. Another reason for the training camp contract could be to convince Kostas’ brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo, to come to Chicago when Giannis becomes a free agent in 2025 or 2026, depending on if he accepts his player option. Last month, in an interview with Fox 32 Chicago, Giannis revealed he wouldn’t mind playing in Chicago. “It’s a no-brainer; everybody would love to play for Chicago. Down the line, you never know.”
Even though Bulls fans couldn’t see guard Goran Dragic (Slovenia) and center Marko Simonovic (Montenegro) get past the quarterfinals, both players were significant factors for their home countries. Dragic and Simonovic will have a quick turnaround with the Bulls training camp starting in a couple of weeks. Let’s take a lot at my grades for Dragic and Simonovic during EuroBasket 2022.
Goran Dragic
Slovenia finished EuroBasket with a 5-2 record, and their quest to repeat as EuroBasket Champions ended on Wednesday in a 90-87 loss to Poland. Slovenia, led by Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic, had the expectations to make a deep run but couldn’t get past Poland in the Quarterfinals. They showed some weakness in their two losses, with their only group-stage loss coming against Bosnia and Herzegovina, 97-93. Slovenia had some significant wins in group play against France with Rudy Gobert, 88-82, and Germany with Dennis Schroder, 88-80.
In the round of 16, Slovenia got a 16-point win against Belgium, 88-72; Doncic dropped 35 points and led a fourth-quarter surge to take demand of the game to advance. Poland vs. Slovenia was a game of runs, and Poland had the last big run in the fourth quarter with a 17-6 run to take an 87-80 lead with 1:13 left in the game. But Slovenia couldn’t finish the late rally, and Klemen Prepelic missed a game-tying three. Poland pulled off the upset 90-87. Luka Doncic struggled shooting 5-for-15 from the field, resulting in 15 points. Dragic performed well with 17 points, shooting 7-for-15 from the field, but led Slovenia with five turnovers.
Grade: A-
Usually, at 37 years old, you should be retiring or not have a significant role on the team. But Dragic is not done playing, and that was well proven with him averaging 14.9 points, 3.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Dragic scored double-digits in all games that he played at least ten minutes. Slovenia gave Dragic some rest in their 103-88 win over Hungary but played six minutes and scored five points. Overall, he improved on the defensive end, had four games with at least two steals, and was energetic in every game.
The starting guard argument will be an interesting topic when training camp starts in two weeks. The Chicago Bulls coaching staff will have difficulty choosing to start opening night with either Ayo Dosunmu, Goran Dragic, or someone else. Dragic played his heart out for his home country, but he and Luka Doncic couldn’t repeat as EuroBasket Champions.
Marko Simonovic
Montenegro couldn’t get past the round of 16 but finished EuroBasket 2022 with a 3-3 record. With Nikola Vucevic not playing, Montenegro wasn’t expected to make a deep push to win their first-ever EuroBasket Championship. But at least they made the round of 16 and played against one of the host countries, Germany. Germany dominated the first half outscoring Montenegro 48-24. But Kendrick Perry and Marko Simonovic combined for 20 points in the fourth quarter to cut the lead down to three, 80-77. But a Kendrick Perry unsportsmanlike foul cost them the game, and Germany got their lead back up to five. The final score was 85-79.
Grade: B-
With no Nikola Vucevic, Marko Simonovic got the opportunity to play more minutes for his home country of Montenegro. Simonovic finished the EuroBasket 2022, averaging 8.7 points, and 4.2 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field and the three-point line. But he came off the bench and played at least 20 minutes in four games out of the six games. Simonovic shot above 40% from the field in those four games and two games above 70%. He showed some flaws he will have to fix while playing with the Windy City Bulls next season with his rebounding ability and defense. When the next EuroBasket tournament happens, expect Simonovic to become a starter.
Once the new NBA2k comes out every year in early September, many NBA fans will look forward to making their myplayer, including me. But you can also find out about your ratings of your favorite players, team overalls, and rookie ratings. According to NBA2K23, The Chicago Bulls are tied for the seventh-best overall rating at 81 overall. Chicago has four players that are at least 80 overall, DeRozan, Lavine, Vucevic, and Ball. DeMar DeRozan has the best Bulls overall at 89. Here are my thoughts on whether or not the NBA2K got the Bulls player ratings correct.
DeMar DeRozan 89 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? No!!!!
The disrespect towards DeRozan continues. You can lower his overall due to his defense, which can cause some red flags for his rating. After an MVP-type season of averages of 27.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 76 games during the 2021-22 NBA Season. But last season, he had career-highs of his three-point percentage at 35.2% and points at 27.9. In my opinion, DeMar should be a 90 overall, but I guess he will have to prove NBA2K wrong.
Zach Lavine 88 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Eh
Lavine had a great start to the 2021-22 season and got a left knee injury on January 14th against the Golden State Warriors. After a ten-day absence, he got back on the court, but you can tell he wasn’t 100% healthy and needed surgery. But with becoming a free agent after the season and Lavine wanting to play in the postseason for the first time, Lavine got his knee drained to continue to play. If Lavine finished the season 100%, he could have been easily a 90 overall, but for now, an 88 overall can work.
Nikola Vucevic 83 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? No. Too High
Vucevic couldn’t show up in big-time games, which could be why Chicago didn’t offer an extension to Vucevic and why Vucevic should be an 82 overall. In his first entire season with the Chicago Bulls, Vucevic struggled, especially shooting from three and defense. But he managed to get his points and rebounds to earn almost a double-double every game. He shot below 47.5% from the field for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The big man’s three-point percentage dropped from 40% during the 2020-21 season, with the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls down to 31.4%. In my opinion, Vucevic should get an 81 overall.
Lonzo Ball 82 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Yes.
Judging from the 35 games Ball played last season, he understood his role and was a critical factor in the Bulls having a top record in the Eastern Conference for the first 1/3 of the season. Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. He had career-highs of his field goal percentage at 42.3% and three-point percentage at 42.3%. Hopefully, Ball can return to court sooner rather than later to help Chicago make a deep run in the 2023 Postseason.
Andre Drummond 79 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? No by a little
Andre Drummond didn’t finish the regular season averaging double-digits in rebounds for the first time since his rookie season. Drummond’s overall has been dropping since he departed from Detroit. Chicago will be the fifth team Drummond has played for since getting traded to Cleveland in March of 2021. He will provide good minutes off the bench for Chicago when Vucevic needs some rest. But besides rebounding, what will he bring to the table? I guess we will have to find out in a month. But for now, his overall should be 78.
Alex Caruso 78 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Yes
Alex Caruso had a good showing in his first season in Chicago. Caruso got hurt for 1/2 of the season with a left wrist injury and other injuries but still was productive on the defensive side of the ball, which helped Chicago earn their first playoff appearance since 2017. He ended the 2021-22 season with 7.4 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 41 games. But in NBA2K23, he can do everything from shooting the three to playmaking, finishing, and most importantly, defending.
Coby White 76 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Nope but by a little
Coby White began the 2021-22 season on the bench recovering from a shoulder injury and didn’t play until December. White had difficulty adjusting to the new-look Bulls roster, which led to him struggling in his new role. He made some starts when Dosunmu and Ball were out but didn’t perform well with 2021-22 season averages of 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 61 games. But with White being a free agent after the upcoming season, he could have a bounce-back season if he improves his overall game, especially his perimeter defense, and is consistent from the three-point line. White should start the season with a 75 overall in NBA2K23.
Javonte Green 76 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? No by a little.
I hate to say it, but there could be a chance next season that Javonte Green barely has any minutes in the Bulls rotation. If injuries happen, which will likely occur, Green will get his chance to prove himself. Last season, he became a fan favorite with his dunk highlights and hustle plays. He deserved to be above a 72 overall from NBA2K22, but 76 is a little too high for him. Green should be a 74 overall, but the good news is that he is getting better and improving his game. Remember, Green will be a free agent after the upcoming season.
Ayo Dosunmu 76 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Yes.
One of the best rookies last season was Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu. Once the Lonzo Ball injury happened, he got a double-double of 14 points and ten assists. He has the potential to have a breakout season, which will mean that his NBA2K23 rating will go up throughout the season and possibly hit 80 overall. Dosunmu, known as a two-way guard, will look to have a significant role in the Bulls rotation and could start in place of Lonzo Ball if he can’t 100% play opening night. Ayo Dosunmu will become a free agent after the upcoming season.
Patrick Williams 75 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Eh.
Just like Zach Lavine and Lonzo Ball, there is a small sample size to judge Patrick Williams. Williams played in the first four games but got hurt during the fifth game of the season against the New York Knicks while trying to dunk and landed on his left wrist. The left wrist injury cost him about 4-6 months, but Williams returned in March and finished the season strong with solid averages of 9.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 17 games. But Williams is due to a breakout season and could raise his overall in the upcoming season.
Goran Dragic 74 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? No by a little.
Entering the 2021-22 season, Dragic played in five games with the Toronto Raptors. But he took time off for personal reasons and got traded months later. But with a buy-out agreement with the San Antonio Spurs, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets. But with Brooklyn, he didn’t have a good role, and the team chemistry wasn’t great, which led to a sweep by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2022 Postseason. Dragic averaged 7.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 16 games with the Nets. But he has been performing well in the 2022 EuroBasket and still has energy, but 74 is low for Dragic. He had a down year but will play significant minutes next season with the Bulls and prove NBA2K wrong; 76 overall should be his overall.
Derrick Jones Jr 74 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Yes.
For the second straight season, Derrick Jones Jr will start the season with a 74 overall and was in and out of the rotation last season. Many Bulls fans didn’t expect him to return to Chicago, but it happened, and for specific games, he could be key on defense and be dangerous with his corner three-point shot ability. Jones has not started the NBA season with an overall above 75. Last season, Jones averaged 5.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 51 games.
Tony Bradley 74 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? No.
Bradley struggled with averages of 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 19.5 minutes as a starter for seven games. When Nikola Vucevic got put in the NBA Health and Safety Protocols, Bradley finally got his chance and didn’t play that well. Halfway through the season, the Bulls signed center Tristan Thompson, which meant Bradley would no longer be a part of the Bulls rotation. Bradley should be a 71 overall.
Dalen Terry has played in five games as a Chicago Bull, but those games were in Las Vegas during the 2022 Summer League. Terry played well, but judging players based on Summer League performances is complicated. But the one thing Terry will look to improve during his rookie season is in three-point ability. Terry on NBA2K23 will be good at defense with his lengthy wingspan. The good news for Terry is that he does not have the lowest rating on the Bulls.
Marko Simonovic 70 Overall
Did NBA2k get his rating Correct? Yes.
Unfortunately, the worst 2022-23 Chicago Bulls player rating goes to Marko Simonovic. Simonovic will likely get sent down to play with the G League Windy City Bulls. But Simonovic still has time to prove himself at 22 years old. He will most likely find more minutes with the Bulls after the 2022-23 season due to the Bulls having three centers ahead of him, Vucevic, Drummond, and Bradley. The excellent news is that NBA2K didn’t lower his overall down to the 60s.
(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
According to the Athletic and Stadium network, the Chicago Bulls have signed forward Malcolm Hill to a two-way contract. Malcolm Hill will receive a two-way contract from the Bulls for the second straight season.
The Chicago Bulls are signing free agent guard Malcolm Hill on a two-way NBA contract, sources tell @TheAthletic@Stadium. Hill averaged 3.4 points and 10.4 minutes over 16 games for the Bulls last season.
After Malcolm Hill played three games with the Atlanta Hawks, including a performance with 13 points in a 131-117 loss to the Bulls, he earned his opportunity with a 10-day contract with the Chicago Bulls while the Bulls dealt with injuries and got hit by COVID. After the 10-day contract was up, he received a two-way contract.
Hill finished the 2021-22 season, averaging 3.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 16 games. In late February, he got sent down to play with the Windy City Bulls in the G League, averaging 18.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 8 games. On April 7th, Hill got the chance to play in two games with the Bulls but played a combined 16 minutes in both of those games and got only two points. Malcolm earned another opportunity with the Bulls during the 2022 Summer League and had some solid games scoring in double-digits in four out of the five games. Hill’s best performance was 20 points and two steals in a 119-104 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Hill, 27 on October 26th, will likely spend most of the season developing in the G League with the Windy City Bulls. But if injuries happen to the Bulls’ wings, there could be a promotion given to Hill. Chicago will be able to give out one more two-way contract before the season starts. The other two-way contracts got given to Justin Lewis.
Other Chicago Bulls News
In a recent report by Ramona Shelburne, Lonzo Ball is currently in Chicago being evaluated by Chicago Bulls and “will most likely miss time even into the 2022-23 NBA Season.” But more Lonzo Ball news will be coming out closer to the start of training camp. All 30 NBA teams will start their training camps on September 27th.
The Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball will not be expected to participate in training camp and is doubtful to play at the start of the 2022-23 NBA Season. Somebody was going to release the bad news soon enough, but Bulls fans shouldn’t be worried about Lonzo Ball missing more time. Here are some reasons to stay calm about the Lonzo Ball situation.
Give Ball some time to rest
Lonzo Ball has recovered from a left knee injury. But the issue is the bone bruise. Bone bruise injuries are challenging to overcome, but resting is the best way to treat bone bruises. The Lonzo Ball injury is similar to Los Angeles Lakers, Kendrick Nunn, which caused him to miss an entire season. But Nunn got hurt on October 10th, 2021, in a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns. Advance one year, Nunn will be ready by the season opener in mid-October.
So what can the Bulls learn from Nunn’s situation? Give Lonzo Ball a full year to recover since the bone bruise injury occurred. Ball suffered the left knee injury/bone bruise on January 14th against the Golden State Warriors. That would mean Ball wouldn’t come back until mid to late January.
Its not how you start, Its how you finish
What fans remember most is how teams finish the season, not how well you started the season. The perfect example is the Boston Celtics from last season. Entering the new year, Boston sat at a 17-19 record and looked like a team going to play in the Play-In tournament. But instead, the Celtics finished the season, winning 34 out of their last 48 games in the 2021-22 season. Unfortunately, Boston lost in the 2022 NBA Finals. But the Celtics are favorites to win the 2023 Championship.
If Lonzo Ball returns in January, Chicago will have time to get hot and finish the 2022-23 season strong. After the Lonzo Ball injury, on January 14th, Chicago finished the season with a 19-23 record and fell from the best record down to the sixth-best team in the Eastern Conference.
More Minutes for Ayo and Goran
Heading into the 2022-23 season, who will get the start at PG for the Bulls? No Lonzo Ball will mean more minutes for point guards Ayo Dosunmu and recent addition Goran Dragic. You can argue for both players, but that argument is for another day. Last season, the Bulls coaching staff chose to start Dosunmu over Coby White. In the first game after the Ball injury occurred, Dosunmu had 21 points and ten assists in a 112-108 loss against the Boston Celtics. He finished his rookie season averaging 8.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 77 games.
But don’t forget about Goran Dragic. The 36-year-old is ready to hoop at any time. Earlier today, Dragic dropped 20 points in Slovenia’s 93-93 loss against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He provides more NBA and playoff experience. When Dragic signed with the Bulls, he got promised to receive 20-25 minutes per game. You could make arguments to start Coby White or Alex Caruso. But many Bulls fans would agree on the top two options being Goran Dragic and Ayo Dosunmu.
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