It would have been nice to have seen second-year guard Dalen Terry put on a Summer League show in Las Vegas.
It’s not a requirement, though, but more of a hope for a former first-round pick entering his NBA sophomore campaign.
After all, second-year players drafted in the same zip code as Terry —Tari Eason, Jalen Duren and Jake LaRavia — have each shown potential during the last few weeks.
Heck, even second-rounders like Max Christie have turned some heads in Sin City.
Terry had a very pedestrian four-game exhibition so far, and that’s being kind.
Despite playing just under a team-high 31 minutes per game, Terry averaged 10.8 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting a dismal 27% from the field and 22% from three-point range.
The good news for Terry is he’s just 20 years old, and the path is different for individual players to develop. The concern, though, is that it’s starting to become a pattern for Arturas Karnisovas draft picks.
Since taking over as the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations, Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley have now had four draft classes.
It’s still a small sample size, but also one that should start producing at a higher level.
Instead, there’s been a lot of squinting to find consistent high-talent moments, and at times squinting to avoid watching very underwhelming play.
2020 — Patrick Williams (No. 4 overall),
Marko Simonovic (No. 44 overall)
Williams is still just 21 years old and did lose most of his second season with a wrist injury. In Year 3, he proved to be one of the better three-point shooters on the roster, hitting 41.5% from behind the arc. But he also lost his starting job, continued to have too many passive moments and is more tease than a consistent top-five pick.
To say that the 2023-24 season is huge for Williams is an undersell. The forward has to establish an ability to be a consistent two-way player if this current Bulls squad wants to progress in an upward direction.
If Williams can start showing that he has an ability to be a sturdy pillar, Karnisovas’ talent eye takes on an entirely different perception.
Simonovic was hyped as a sneaky second-rounder, with dreams of being a poor man’s Nikola Jokic. He was waived recently, ending any such dream.
GRADE: C
2021 — Ayo Dosunmu (No. 38 overall)
The former Illinois standout looked like a steal during his rookie campaign with the Bulls, sneaking up on the league in the 2021-22 season.
Last year, however, the league caught on. Dosunmu’s numbers went down across the board, as did his playing time.
Now, the message from the league is loud and clear. The restricted free agent is still without an offer for the Bulls to even decide if they want to match. The market is speaking and it’s not even a whisper.
GRADE: C-
2022 — Dalen Terry (No. 18 overall)
Eason was rumored to be going to the Bulls, but was selected one pick before by the Rockets. So was Terry the pivot?
Considering rim-protectors — Walker Kessler — went 22nd, and players like Jovic (No. 27), Christie (No. 35) and Jaden Hardy (No. 37) went after Terry and have flashed, it’s not the greatest looking selection so far.
It will be hard to find time for Terry to crack the rotation at first glance, but he has the rest of the summer and then fall camp to change some minds.
GRADE: D
2023 — Julian Phillips (No. 35 overall)
It’s only been three Summer League games, but Phillips had some interesting moments in his second game. The athletic forward scored 16 points in 22 minutes and looked very comfortable shooting the three (3-for-3).
His ability to add that outside shot to his skillset could be the difference in him sitting as a rookie or jumping Terry for a rotation spot.
GRADE: C+
