What can Dalen Terry bring to the Chicago Bulls?
With the 18th pick in the first round of the NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Dalen Terry out of the University of Arizona. Terry is a 19-year-old wing with upside that can really help the Bulls immediately, especially on the defensive end.
His collegiate stats don’t jump off the page, as he only averaged 8 points per game with 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Jay Bilas of ESPN described him as a “glue guy” and that is what the Bulls need from him currently. Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine (assuming he gets re-signed), and DeMar DeRozan will have the ball in their hands a lot, so Terry will need to move well off the ball, pass, rebound and defend to make an impact.
NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson interviewed Terry’s college coach Tommy Lloyd, who said that “Dalen helps teams win basketball games.” Terry likely won’t put up monstrous stats or play heavy minutes but doing the little things like playing with energy and hustling will earn him opportunities. His length (6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan) and versatility allows him to play shooting guard and small forward while being able to guard the opposition’s guards and wings.
So far during their tenure, Bulls executive president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley have made a habit to draft players with traits that stand out, rather than statistics. Patrick Williams was a prime example of this as the 4th overall pick in 2020. He didn’t even start in college, but the Bulls thought highly of his makeup and potential to be a very productive player in the future. It can take time for certain players to blossom into who they will become, which is the same line of thinking the organization has for Terry.
With a bench consisting of Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu and Terry, the Bulls have a rotation that can match up and compete nightly against the top tier teams in the Eastern Conference. A stronger bench unit will also allow them to withstand injuries better, as the team struggled last season once guards Lonzo Ball and Caruso went down in January. The Bulls are hoping to advance deeper in the playoffs next year and Terry should help them achieve that goal.