Bulls Rising Rookie Could Force Billy Donovan Into Tough Decision

The Chicago Bulls are taking the traditional approach with rookie Dalen Terry. Their ideal scenario is for the 20-year-old ball of energy to get plenty of run in the G-League with the Windy City Bulls.

Terry showed well during NBA 2k23 Summer League play in Las Vegas but also the areas in which he needs improvement.

He averaged 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists during the preseason while shooting 55% from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc. Terry drew his first start in the Bulls’ preseason finale against the Milwaukee Bucks’ deep reserves and put up just five points, five rebounds, and five assists.

That modest statistical output belied Terry’s true impact.

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Terry Could Force Donovan’s Hand

Despite the modest output in the preseason finale, Terry finished with the third-highest plus-minus on the team at plus-17. That directly reflects how he was helped push the pace when he was on the floor.

And, if it comes down to impact over putting up numbers – as Donovan has alluded to with third-year forward Patrick Williams – Terry could force head coach Billy Donovan’s hand.

“Terry showed the most potential in open-court transition opportunities,” Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune points out, “pushing the pace to advance the ball and find open teammates. The Bulls scored 25 points on the fast break. This is an area of emphasis for the Bulls, who hope to maintain a high-energy, coast-to-coast identity this season even without Lonzo Ball currently available. Terry will force Donovan into difficult decisions about minutes if he continues to provide a spark in transition.”

Last season, the Bulls tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for the league lead in transition points per play with 1.16 per game.

But there was a noticeable drop-off in frequency and effectiveness once Lonzo Ball got hurt.

The Bulls spent all offseason trying to find a suitable fill-in.

Terry is a long way from challenging for a starting role. But, beyond Alex Caruso and big man Andre Drummond, none of the other options off of the Bulls bench offer the unique blend of length, tenacity, and versatile skills that allow Terry to be a Swiss Army knife on the court.

Coaches in today’s NBA are always looking for versatile players and Terry is already following a similar path as one of his young teammates.

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A Wrench in the Plans

Interestingly, it was second-year guard Ayo Dosunmu that Donovan named the starting point guard in Ball’s absence. The Bulls planned on taking a slow approach to Dosunmu’s development last season before injuries forced him into a larger-than-expected role.

Now, he is set to be the Bulls’ starting point guard for the foreseeable future with Ball expected to be out through the new year.

Can Terry do the same?

Hopefully, it does not come down to injuries as it did with Dosunmu last season. But Terry has the greater pedigree between the two and a similar mindset and approach to impacting the game. As long as he limits the turnovers and stays within himself, Terry is bound to do enough good things on the court to compel Donovan to give him more minutes.

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