Getty Dalen Terry of the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls didn’t have a super eventful offseason, but they did make some solid moves. In addition to signing Zach LaVine to a massive new contract, they also brought in big man Andre Drummond and veteran guard Gordan Dragic.
Now, they are progressing nicely through Summer League, as their young players get some necessary experience. They are currently 3-1 and have a real shot at making the Summer League championship. And as the games continue on, one player has stood out above the rest.
Bulls rookie Dalen Terry has played very well in Summer League. He’s showing a lot of promise on both sides of the floor, but Chicago’s Summer League head coach, John Bryant, is still keeping an eye on him. After the Bulls’ win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, Bryant said that they were impressed with Terry’s ability to keep things simple.
“We trust him to make the right plays,” Bryant stated. “But sometimes he’s trying to make the home-run play. You watch this game; he just made the simple play.”
This is a message the Bulls’ coaching staff has consistently fed Terry, according to Bryant.
Bulls Want Terry to ‘Hit Singles’
Most rookies come into the league looking to impress. Summer League provides players with the perfect opportunity to impress their team by making a big-time impact, as they are given more responsibilities than they normally would be during the regular season. However, Bryant revealed that the Bulls want Terry to try to “just hit singles.”
“We’ve been telling him to just hit singles, not home runs every play,” Bryant explained. “Because I think he’s looking for the home-run play every time.”
So far in Summer League, Terry hasn’t been perfect. There have been times when he’s been caught doing too much. But for the most part, he’s played well, and his overall stats reflect that.
In the four Summer League games he’s played in, Terry has averaged 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 56.3% shooting from the field and 42.9% shooting from behind the three-point line. However, his 4.5 turnovers show how often he can get caught up trying to look for the “home-run play.”
The rookie admitted to falling into this trap, too.
Terry Said He Was Thinking Too Much
After the Bulls’ win over the Raptors, Terry talked about the concept of simplifying the game. He agreed with the notion, saying that, in previous games, he was overthinking things, but against the Raptors, he tried to slow things down and let the game come to him.
“I feel like in the other games I was thinking about it a lot more,” Terry said. “I was forcing it a little bit. Today, I just let the game come to me and we had a good outcome.”
The 20-year-old has shown enough in Summer League for fans to be excited about what he can bring to the table. He’s 6’7, plays with constant energy, and has even shown some promise from behind the three-point line. If he can learn to “hit singles” more consistently, he has a chance to earn some serious minutes from Day 1.
