With preseason underway, NBA teams are beginning to make difficult decisions around the fringes of their rosters, and the Chicago Bulls recently made one involving intriguing rookie Peter Suder.
Chicago waived the undrafted guard on Friday, creating a roster spot for the addition of Isaiah Stevens.
On the surface, the move represents another setback in what has already been a turbulent introduction to professional basketball for the 23-year-old.
Suder signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers immediately following the 2026 NBA Draft and was widely viewed as one of the more intriguing prospects available in the undrafted pool.
Just a few months later, he has already been released by two NBA teams without appearing in an official regular-season game.
However, his departure from Chicago’s NBA roster may not necessarily bring his time within the organization to an end.
Chicago Bulls Could Keep Suder Within Developmental System
Following his release from Los Angeles, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that the Lakers’ newly relocated G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, would welcome Suder onto its roster for the upcoming season.
Instead, the undrafted guard explored opportunities elsewhere and eventually signed an Exhibit-10 contract with Chicago.
Although the Bulls have now waived Suder from their NBA roster, the structure of that deal provides a potential pathway for him to remain within the organization through G League affiliate Windy City.
If Suder joins Windy City and remains with the affiliate for at least 60 days, he could qualify for an Exhibit-10 bonus worth up to $91,000 on top of his standard G League salary.
That would allow Chicago to continue evaluating a prospect who attracted considerable interest coming out of college without using one of its NBA roster spots.
Suder’s first professional opportunity came to an abrupt end following a difficult Summer League with the Lakers.
Across six appearances between the California Classic and Las Vegas, he averaged 5.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 17.5 minutes per contest while shooting 33.3% from the field and 22.2% from three-point range.
His best performance came in a July 11 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, when Suder scored 14 points in only 16 minutes off the bench.
Los Angeles eventually waived Suder from his two-way contract to create room for standout forward Arthur Kaluma, opening the door for his subsequent move to Chicago.
Bulls Could Still Uncover Value From Intriguing Rookie
Despite a difficult start to his professional career, Suder’s final collegiate season provides some indication of why multiple NBA organizations have already taken an interest.
The 6-foot-5 guard completed a four-year career split between Bellarmine and Miami (Ohio), averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.3 steals as a senior.
He shot an efficient 54.6% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range, helping Miami secure its first regular-season conference championship since 2004-05 while earning First Team All-MAC honors and the MAC Player of the Year award.
“One of a handful of players who earned enough votes from teams to skip G League combine and land directly in the combine, Suder offers some sleeper intrigue and has played himself into the two-way contract conversation,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote in May.
“NBA teams have taken notice of the traits that could help him grow into a feasible depth option, but he’ll have to keep proving it.”
Suder’s initial NBA opportunities have not gone according to plan, but his size, versatility, shooting potential, and defensive upside remain intriguing traits for a developmental prospect.
For the Chicago Bulls, keeping him within the organization through Windy City would provide a low-risk opportunity to see whether those tools can translate with consistent professional minutes.
For Suder, the G League could offer exactly what he needs after a turbulent summer, in stability, playing time, and another opportunity to prove he belongs in the NBA conversation.
Bulls in Line to Retain “Sleeper” Gem Despite Being Cut From Roster