5 intriguing Summer League players Bulls fans should keep an eye on

As we begin ramping up for yet another exciting NBA season, we have finally arrived at the first of many pit stops before the regular season tips off. Now that the Summer League is officially underway, we’re finally getting our first look of what to expect from the Chicago Bulls in 2023-24.

That being said, this year’s roster looks far different than what we’ve seen in the past, you won’t find Chicago’s premier young talent like Patrick Williams, Coby White, or Ayo Dosunmu suiting up for the team this year. In fact, Dalen Terry is the only player from last year’s main roster who will return to play in Las Vegas.

That hasn’t stopped the team from impressing early, however, as these young Bulls defeated the Raptors 83-74 to start things off strong. They’ll take on the Grizzlies tonight before wrapping things up against the Kings and Cavaliers next week. If they perform well enough, they may even have a chance to advance to the Summer League Playoffs.

Here’s a look at this year’s full roster, as well as the five players I believe all Bulls fans should be keeping a close eye on.

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5 Summer League players Chicago Bulls fans should keep an eye on.

5. Javon Freeman-Liberty

If the name Javon Freeman-Liberty sounds familiar, it’s likely because you remember him as a remnant from last year’s Summer League roster. Although he struggled out of the gate and missed out on a potential two-way contract spot with the Bulls, his story in Chicago was just getting started.

Joining up with the Windy City Bulls in the G League, Freeman-Liberty finally caught his rhythm and showcased just what makes him such an interesting prospect in the first place. He averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting a much improved 49.8% from the field and 37.6% from long-range.

Freeman-Liberty didn’t miss a beat returning to the Summer League this year either, as he was seemingly everywhere on the court helping the team push past Toronto. Logging the second-most minutes of any Bulls player, Freeman-Liberty contributed 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in the victory. If he keeps this up, we may just be witnessing the start of his Bulls’ tenure.

4. Justin Lewis

Following the completion of the 2022 NBA Draft, Marquette’s Justin Lewis was touted as arguably the best undrafted player still available in free agency. So when the Bulls scooped Lewis up on a two-way contract, you can understand why many fans were optimistic about this move. After all, Chicago does have a track record of making the most out of underrated players from Marquette.

Lewis enjoyed a promising stint with the Bulls during the 2022 Summer League, which had me looking forward to watching him develop in the G League and potentially play spot minutes here and there. Unfortunately, he’d tear his ACL in a workout away from the team in August, leading to him ultimately being cut to make roster space. Making his return to the team, Lewis undoubtedly has a lot to prove in Las Vegas.

Justin Lewis could make a name for himself with another strong performance for the Bulls in the Summer League.

Lewis got things off to a great start in the first game of the Summer League, looking much more fluid on the court and providing some much-needed reassurance that he’s truly rehabilitated and ready to get back out there. He scored 7 points on 6 shots while also reeling in a team-high 7 rebounds.

I would really like to see him cut down on the turnovers and fouls next time around, but these things are to be expected in exhibition play. What’s most important for now is that the Bulls have an athletic freak with a 7’2.5″ wingspan showcasing some real promise, and he’s not even occupying a main roster spot.

3. Julian Phillips

Although the Bulls entered the 2023 NBA Draft without a pick to their name, a last-second trade with the Washington Wizards netted Chicago the No. 35 pick in exchange for two future second-rounders. Considering this pick will almost certainly be higher than either of the two future seconds, this was a deal that was easy to get on board with for most fans.

The Bulls ended up using this pick to select Julian Phillips out of Tennessee. In his freshman season with the Volunteers, Phillips averaged a relatively unremarkable 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. But what he lacked in statistical production, he made up for with his defensive intensity ability (3.8 DBPM) and ability to draw fouls. 36.5% of all of Phillips’ points scored came via free throws, knocking them down at an elite 82.2% clip from the charity stripe.

The Bulls will be counting on Julian Phillips to provide much-needed depth at the forward positions.

It’s no secret that Julian prides himself on his defense and versatility. Standing just shy of 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, Phillips’ athletic profile will allow him to be utilized in a multitude of situations from the jump. He seemed acutely aware of this in a post-draft presser as he prepares for Summer League action.

Unfortunately, we have yet to see Phillips take the court for Summer League action just yet. As he has yet to officially sign his contract with the Bulls, he has remained sidelined for now. This could be a sign Chicago isn’t done making trades and needs the roster space, or it could just mean the Bulls are still discussing contract terms — either as a member of the full-time roster or on a two-way contract.

Hopefully, we’ll see Phillips suit up before tonight’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. If he sits out again tonight, his next chance will be on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings.

2. Adama Sanogo

Among the most prolific undrafted players in this year’s class, many fans were excited about the news of Chicago signing Adama Sanogo to a two-way deal as an undrafted free agent. Earning two All-Big East selections before entering the draft, Sanogo caught the eye of many fans at the NCAA tournament this year, averaging 19.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting 66.7% from the field and leading UCONN’s Huskies to the national title.

Following the news of Marko Simonovic being waived, a potential opportunity to receive minutes has just opened up for Sanogo. With only two centers on the roster right now, Sanogo may be entrusted to play a bit of garbage time here and there, or even bump up to the main roster if either Nikola Vucevic or Andre Drummond runs into any injury trouble this season.

Adama Sanogo has a chance to relay his collegiate success to the NBA with the Bulls.

Of course, Sanogo will need to prove he can be effective against lesser competition in the Summer League before the Bulls trust him to take things to the next level; but after seeing his star performance when the lights were shining the brightest in the NCAA tournament, he looks well on his way already. It looks as if Las Vegas just might be a genuine tryout for the main roster for Sanogo this summer.

That being said, it’s going to take a lot more than what we saw from him in the first game of Summer League action against Toronto. The big man posted just 5 points and 4 rebounds on 2-for-8 shooting from the field. While a combined 4 steals and blocks is a nice silver lining from Sanogo, he’s going to need to quicken his footwork if he wants to survive in the NBA.

1. Dalen Terry

When Dalen Terry was drafted 18th overall, he was billed as the do-it-all, jack-of-all-trades that impacts games at the margin and helps teams win games and compete for championships. We saw this at the college level, where Terry played the third musketeer to Bennedict Mathurin and Christian Koloko on a very good Arizona team that went 33-4, finished first in the PAC-12, and secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Eventually, the Wildcats’ March Madness dreams would be cut short, but the Bulls’ front office saw more than enough from Terry to have faith in drafting him in 2022. This is where things get interesting, however, as it will now be on Dalen to showcase his skills in a role that we’ve never seen him play before.

If Dalen Terry is to earn a larger role with the Bulls, he’s going to need to prove he can handle it in the Summer League.

Always playing the role of the unselfish playmaker who creates good looks for his teammates, stretches the floor with his shooting, and cuts to the basket for easy scoring opportunities, we’ve never actually gotten to see much of Dalen creating his own offense or working with the ball in his hands for extended periods of time. Now that he is without a doubt the most prolific member of this Bulls Summer League roster, it will be up to Terry to prove he can be a true difference-maker.

That means no more playing the third musketeer. That means no more passing up decent shot opportunities to dish it out to more accomplished players like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. This is Dalen’s time to be a premier player and have a heavily featured role in the offense. It may not be a job he’s accustomed to, but this trial by fire may just be what it takes for Chicago to discover if they’ve found a diamond in the rough, or just a quality role player.