Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls nabbed one of the best undrafted rookies on the market, signing versatile Marquette forward Justin Lewis to a two-way deal.

Bet on his potential and development with NBA coaching, you may have a solid role player for years to come. Offensively, Lewis has a projectable shot for the NBA. He has a high release, and he shot the ball okay ( 34.9% from three) on 5.2 attempts per game. While quicker players can beat him off the dribble, Lewis showed the ability to stick with them and contest shots at the rim due to his length. Hopefully, the Bulls will find more frontcourt depth in free agency so they don’t have to rely on Lewis. In signing Justin Lewis, the Bulls added some desperately needed depth in the frontcourt with a guy who can play a little 3, 4, and small-ball 5. Frequently, Lewis demonstrated his defensive upside at Marquette by using his length and physicality to shut down opposing players.

The Bulls surprised many when they held onto the 18th pick last night and draft Arizona point guard Dalen Terry.

This will allow the organization time to develop Lewis and see if he has what it takes to make it at this level. Justin Lewis will spend time both in the NBA with the Bulls and their G-League team. Lewis is 20 years old and adds good size and length to the roster along with great versatility. The 33 points he dropped against Seton Hall was one of my favorite displays of the season. The Bulls are banking on these traits and it’s a great way to draft in my opinion. Just minutes after the Draft wrapped up, Shams Charania of The Athletic, reported that the Chicago Bulls had agreed to a two-way deal with Marquette Forward Justin Lewis. This is a welcoming addition to the team.

The Chicago Bulls drafted Arizona guard Dalen Terry with the No. 18 pick, adding size and versatility in the backcourt as they try to take another step ...

But is the organization prepared to offer a max contract? He said Terry probably needs to work on his jumper, though he is a “capable” 3-point shooter. Something else to keep an eye on is point guard Lonzo Ball's recovery from a left knee injury. He hopes Ball is a full participant in training camp. Chicago got off to a big start and finished with its best record since the 2014-15 team went 50-32 in former coach Tom Thibodeau’s final season, though the way things unfolded down the stretch left a bitter taste. They also have a major issue hanging over them, with LaVine planning to test the market as an unrestricted free agent. “We spoke to him about 30 minutes ago, and the kid was incredibly excited about being a Chicago Bull,” general manager Marc Eversley said. He is also known for his energy and enthusiasm, and it sure was on display after the Bulls took him. They were a combined 2-21 against the top four teams in each conference. Terry, who worked out for the Bulls right before the combine in Chicago, opted to skip his junior season and turn pro after seeing his stock rise this spring. Owning a nearly 7-foot-1 wingspan, he can guard multiple spots and play on or off the ball on offense. Though he didn't put up big numbers on offense, the 6-foot-7, 195-pound Terry played an important role on a team that won 33 games and reached the Sweet 16.

At pick no. 18 in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls drafted point guard Dalen Terry, and Lonzo Ball had a whole lot to do with it.

Ball has attempted to ramp up his conditioning multiple times since his surgery, and each time it has caused a setback with his recovery. He’s a guy who always looks to get his teammates involved and can facilitate well. The athletic profile and intangibles are eerily similar to Ball, but Terry is an even better athlete. Drafting Terry is absolutely insurance for Ball, first and foremost. Last year, Terry averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Ball’s health has been in question for quite some time, and some have started to become worried about his knee.

The Marquette sophomore forward was not selected in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Elsewhere in the Big East, UConn’s Tyrese Martin was the only player to be selected in the draft from Marquette’s conference. For clarification on exactly what that means — and I had to look it up to be 100% sure myself — we turn to our friends over at Blazer’s Edge, our SB Nation sister site focused on the Portland Trail Blazers. Just last week, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that two-way deals will pay players a maximum of one-half of the rookie minimum, which would work out to just over $500,000, depending on how much time they spend with the NBA club as opposed to with the G League team. I can’t imagine how it feels for Lewis and his representation at Roc Nation after they withdrew him from five-on-five competition at the Draft Combine, before Lewis had fully committed to staying in the draft.

Despite only having one pick in this year's draft, the Chicago Bulls have signed another promising rookie in Marquette's Justin Lewis.

On the Bulls, Lewis would not have to be a primary option, and it’s likely we might see his efficiency improve in a role with less pressure. To put it simply, Lewis is a genuine talent that probably should have been drafted, but the Bulls will happily make out like bandits here. Chicago was not able to find a trade partner for the 18th pick to acquire additional trade assets, but it turns out they didn’t need to, as the dynamic forward Justin Lewis out of Marquette fell in their laps as an undrafted free agent.

The Chicago Bulls drafted Arizona guard Dalen Terry with the No. 18 pick, adding size and versatility in the backcourt as they try to take another step ...

Forward Patrick Williams, the No. 4 pick in 2020, missed most of the season because of torn ligaments in his left wrist. The high-flying guard is in line for a huge payday after making his second straight All-Star team. Ball sat out the final 3 1/2 months following surgery for a torn meniscus. But Chicago was hit hard by injuries last season and struggled against the NBA's best. Chicago got off to a big start and finished with its best record since the 2014-15 team went 50-32 in former coach Tom Thibodeau’s final season, though the way things unfolded down the stretch left a bitter taste. They lost 15 of their final 22 regular-season games, then got knocked out by Milwaukee 4-1 in their first playoff appearance since 2017.

An NBA Draft party was held for Terry, who was projected to be a mid to late first-round pick, at LoLo's Chicken and Waffles in Scottsdale.

Chicago is getting a guy who can be a day one impact player on defense but there are questions offensively.

While he won’t be expected to be a major shot creator for himself in this Bulls offense, if he can’t do it at an ok clip in the future years of his career, it will really hamper his upside. His skillset seems to be very raw offensively although he could be a day one guy defensively just like with Dosunmu. With that in mind, Chicago could have possibly gone a route of selecting other players with higher floors who can contribute right away as rotational pieces for a team which is currently a playoff contender. Now in the NBA, Terry will face tougher opponents that will be forcing him to shoot but if given the opportunity, he will make the right pass for an assist. He can glide around defenders and against smaller players, he can rise over them to lay it off the glass for the score. The transition passing will seamlessly fit in with Chicago as everyone is willing to push up the floor and with the high fliers the Bulls have on their teams, Terry will find them. He can pass right it over the top of defenses, whether it’s for a big who has inside positioning on their man or for a teammate who beats everyone else down the court on a transition play. Having additional playmaking is always a positive and as it results in solid ball movement in search for a good shot. This will fit in very nicely on a Chicago team which bases part of their scheme on being able to turn you over on one end and before you know it, they are dunking the ball on the other. The Bulls love to run on turnovers and Terry being able to force by either jarring the ball loose or straight up picking it off mid-pass is a nice addition. Terry can smartly anticipate passes and jump right in front of them to cause a fast break going the other way. This type of skill will aid the Bulls as their defensive system relies on guards who are able to stick with their man even when they are in the paint. He helped lead Arizona to a No. 1 seed and was named on the Pac-12 All-Defense team.

The Bulls took an upside swing on Dalen Terry in the 2022 NBA Draft, but the potential isn't difficult to see.

He will also need to add plenty of muscle as he ages if he hopes to be a truly switchable wing defender at the pro level. "He just brings an energy and a vibe that I think he's gonna fit really well within this gym," Eversley said. “Those are the things that I can do every day," Terry said of his defense and versatility. So it's no surprise that Terry noted in his own comments to reporters that he expects to play every position from point guard to power forward (in the right matchup) at the next level, and that he expects his versatility to translate right away. When the controlled havoc wreaked by Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso turned opponents over at a prolific rate, leading to scintillating transition sequences? "We took a lot of calls for both scenarios (trading up or down) and, just, nothing stood out to us," general manager Marc Eversley said of the Bulls' draft night approach.