The Chicago Bulls may have drew a lot of flak for their inability to improve at the trade deadline, but they’re doing their best to make up for it now on the buyout market. After adding Patrick Beverley to shore up the point guard rotation, the Bulls also swept in on former Indiana Pacers prospect Terry Taylor.
Since the addition of Beverley put the Bulls right back at a fully-loaded roster of 15 players, Taylor has inked a two-way contract that will allow him to flip back and forth between the G League and the main roster until the end of the season. Malcolm Hill had to be waived to complete the acquisition of Taylor, as Carlik Jones already occupies Chicago’s other two-way roster spot. Hill joins Tony Bradley as former Bulls waived to open up roster space this past week.
After four years as a standout starter for Austin Peay State University, Taylor would go unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft before signing with the Pacers. Taylor appeared in 33 contests for Indiana as a rookie, averaging 9.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 21.6 minutes off the bench per game. Unfortunately for Taylor, he’d end up being bumped out of the Pacers’ rotation this season due to a wealth of young talent on that roster right now.
If Terry Taylor’s name rings a bell for you, it’s probably because of his impressive showing against the Bulls just last February. He posted a very impressive 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists while doing everything he could to avoid suffering a closely-contested loss to Chicago at home. He’d be unsuccessful in those efforts, but it seems like he’ll get another chance to impress with the Bulls here very soon.
The Bulls are sign forward Terry Taylor to a two-way deal, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/bZszScWmyz
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 21, 2023
Terry Taylor could prove to be an unexpectedly forward-thinking acquisition for the Chicago Bulls as they continue their playoff push.
Hill’s time with the team was much appreciated, and he proved to be a valuable asset to have around when the team was rocked with injuries and illness. However, as much as I appreciate the 27-year-old veteran and former University of Illinois star, time certainly isn’t on his side here. Terry has more potential and room to grow than Hill at this point in time, so it makes sense to prioritize the two-way spots on players who could become something greater down the line.
This move also benefits the Bulls by providing a short-term replacement for Javonte Green, who has been rehabilitating a knee injury for over two months now with no clear updates or timetable to return. Not many players on the market could replicate Javonte’s energy and versatility, but Taylor is about the best the Bulls could have gotten in that regard.
Terry stands at only 6’5 but has predominantly played center in a small ball role in the NBA. Despite his relatively small stature, he makes up for it with his above-average weight (he’s now the third-heaviest player on the Bulls roster, behind only Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond) and a near 7-foot wingspan.
Just like Beverley, Taylor is a hustle player who will look to impact the game at the margins and help the Bulls win as many games as possible in hopes of crawling back into the playoff picture.
Together with Beverley, this pair can hopefully provide that spark the Bulls have been so sorely lacking as of late. Even if it doesn’t immediately translate to wins, the Chicago Bulls are clearly in need of a culture change. If the front office wants to stack this roster full of promising young talent and players that actually care about winning, then maybe it’s not too late for this franchise. Signing Terry Taylor is just a small step in that process, but at the very least it’s a step in the right direction.