Theres been a lot of talk about the Chicago Bulls over the last couple of days, especially Draymond Green talking about how the current Golden State Warriors team would blow out the 1990s Bulls roster.
Before we move on to more important thingslike not entertaining inane statementsI would like to say that yes, league-wide, defense is much better in the NBA than in the 80s and 90s that said, it was also a much tougher league. The refs let em play. Now defenders get whistles for breathing too hard on the ball handler.
So, would todays Warriors beat the Bulls in one game? Maybe. Would todays Warriors make it through the full season with 90-wins? Hell no.
- Moving on.
Summer League Results
If there is one thing we learned from the Bulls Summer League performance, its that Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummonds No. 1 and No. 2 spot at center is not threatened by a significantly heavier, Marko Simonovic. Sure he played well, probably better than any other Bull in the Summer Leagueeven better than Dalen Terry, the Bulls big first-rounderhe isnt quite ready to take a significant amount of minutes from Vuecevic, Drummond, or even Tony Bradley; at least not yet.
But what about Dalen Terry?
The first-round pick played well, but he didnt show us that he will come out immediately in the upcoming season and make a significant impact. He still has a bit of development ahead of him.
Is Dalen Terry the Future of the Franchise?
One thing that I can say about Dalen Terry is he has a high ceiling. As I said above, I don’t think that hell come in and take over the court for the Bulls right away. However, he does have a complete game. He does just about everything well. And as a swing player that can play off the wing or as a forward, you have to be able to shoot from all ranges, drive to the hole, rebound effectively, play sound defense, and have great handles. Bottom line: hes extremely athletic, with a great ability to slash through the lane and finish drives, as well as hit shots from beyond the arc and get his hands into passing lanes.
Unfortunately, he went down with a bum hamstring in his Summer League appearance against the 76ers. That said, he did average 14 points, with four boards and three assists in the 25.4 minutes per game he did play.
I am not sure if he is ready to start just yet, but at a minimum, he should get a decent amount of minutes off the benchwhere he could make an immediate impact as one of the better 6th men on the squad. The Bulls may have found a gem in Dalen Terry as long as he can stay healthy. I think hell be in a starring role by the 2023-2024 season
Bulls 2022 Futures Odds
The Milwaukee Bucks are the odds-on favorites to win the Central Division. But the Bulls are second at +500 to +550. Chicago also comes in around the middle of the pack to win the NBA title in 2023 at +5000.
If you think the Bulls will go OVER or UNDER 42.5 wins in 2022-2023, you can find Illinois sportsbooks promo codes here for some bonus action.
I like the Bulls to go OVER 42.5 wins and the Cleveland Cavaliers to go UNDER 42.5. I see the Cavs with a 40-win season and the Bulls pushing the meter towards 50.
Coby White for Malik Beasley?
Chicago was plagued by injury last year, and they were quickly ousted from the playoffs. That said, theyve been working hard this offseason, adding new elements to the roster to improve their chances this year.
Some rumors are churning around the mill that the Bulls top brass may be putting together a deal with the Utah Jazz for Malik Beasley. So far, it looks like it could be a costly deal, giving the Jazz Coby White, Tony Bradley, Derrick Jones Jr., and a first-round pick in 2026.
Is it worth it?
Tony Bradley is sitting as the third-string big man, and this would force more minutes for Marko Simonovicwhich could go either way. Coby White has been the definition of average, but at 22 years old, hes just finding his footing in the NBA. I am not sure that passing him off with a couple of others and a 1st-round pick down the road is a great idea. That said, Malik Beasley would shore up a pretty massive hole on the bench at the wing.
I feel like this move would make an immediate impact, but is a bandaide fix that could come back to haunt them in just a couple of years.
But what do I know, Im just a sports writer. Let us know your thoughts in the comment below!
