Chicago Bulls: Dalen Terry dominates Charlotte in Summer League action

Prior to Thursday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets in the Las Vegas Summer League, there were a lot of questions surrounding 18th overall pick Dalen Terry‘s ability to come in and contribute to the Chicago Bulls right away.

In the first three games, Terry seemingly struggled to find opportunities to create his own offense. To make matters worse, his acclaimed playmaking ability was yet to be seen. Dalen averaged a paltry 12 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds while racking up 5.3 turnovers over the course of the first three contests.

On paper, these numbers look very rough. But in reality, they were the result of Terry being encouraged to experiment and take on a larger role than he will end up playing with the Bulls’ main roster. Dropped passes, missed cuts to the basket, and poor shooting following kick-out passes are all things Terry has had to overcome that he won’t face in the regular season.

Despite these obstacles, Terry has risen to the challenge and has clearly become more comfortable and confident with each passing game. That fact couldn’t be more clear than on Thursday when Dalen thoroughly dismantled the Hornets from start to finish.

Dalen Terry dominated the Hornets and helped propel the Chicago Bulls to a 3-1 record in the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas.

In just 24 minutes of action, Terry would go on to have his best game yet. He dropped 20 points on the Hornets on a very efficient 8-for-12 shooting from the field. He also reeled in 5 rebounds and chipped in a pair of steals and a block.

What’s most encouraging about his performance on Thursday is that he would perfectly transition to playing with the main roster if he can continue this style of play. Almost all of his offense was generated by making cuts and maneuvering to the rim for open passes from teammates. If he was dropping 20 points on exclusively jump shots, it’s hard to say that he’d still get those looks when playing alongside Chicago’s elite offensive talent.

I can already envision Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball (if he ever gets healthy) setting up Terry for easy baskets in transition with their smooth passing ability. What’s more, Terry’s defense has looked as good as advertised and he will definitely be able to log considerable minutes if he can keep it up against true NBA-level competition.

With each passing game, Terry is only doing more to prove that he deserves a spot in the rotation and will do whatever it takes to outwork the next guy ahead of him. We will get to see Terry suit up for one final game of Summer League action in Las Vegas as the Chicago Bulls take on the Philadelphia 76ers. Tip-off is at 6 pm CT, don’t miss it!