Dalen Terry not only said all the right things at the end of his rookie campaign with the Bulls, but has spent the summer doing all the right things.
More specifically, making a visit to Camp DeRozan, where 5 a.m. workouts involve pushing the body to the limits and too big of a breakfast may have trouble staying down.
But Terry has something to prove, and actions always speak louder than words in the Association.
It was back in early April when Terry was talking about his place buried on the depth chart, and the fact that he wanted to make sure the 2023-24 campaign wasn’t going to be more of the same.
“I just know I ain’t going through this again,’’ Terry insisted to the Sun-Times. “I just want the chance to do whatever I need to do to get on the court next year. So just the part of my development, what does everybody want to see from me, as well as the expectations I have in myself? I know I want to come back a different player.’’
He’s been attempting to do that, first going out to Los Angeles with teammate Patrick Williams to work with veteran DeMar DeRozan, and now back in Chicago working with the Summer League team as they prepare for Las Vegas.
One problem … make that two.
The additions of veterans Jevon Carter and forward Torrey Craig really won’t help Terry’s case.
Unless the 18th overall pick from the 2022 draft is about to make an offensive jump that even the Bulls didn’t see coming, Terry may challenge for a rotation spot, but will be hard-pressed to become a regular fixture when everyone is healthy.
As of Wednesday — maybe the Bulls aren’t done adding — Carter and Coby White will likely battle for the starting point guard spot, with Carter in the slight lead just because of his experience.
The “Big Three’’ of Zach LaVine, DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are obvious fixtures in the other three starting spots, while Williams could have a sneaky good battle with Craig for the other forward spot. Give Williams the edge just because of his importance in the organization beyond this season.
That leaves Alex Caruso, Andre Drummond, White or Carter, and Williams or Craig as reserve players, with the unknown what happens to restricted free agent Ayo Dosunmu?
Coach Billy Donovan used a lot of eight and nine-man rotations throughout the regular season, but if he did stretch it to 10, Terry would have a chance to throw his name in the hat, along with second-round pick Julian Phillips.
What would help Terry?
Showing in the Summer League that his outside shot has taken huge strides towards consistency.
Playing a lot of mop-up minutes last season, Terry still only went 7-for-27 (25.9%) from beyond the three-point arc. Not a huge surprise, considering he wasn’t a real high-volume three-point shooter coming out of Arizona, averaging just 1.9 attempts per game and hitting 35% in his two seasons in the desert.
His ability to play defense may get Terry through the rotation front door, but his outside shooting will be what keeps him in the rotation.
As for Phillips, he was introduced to the media one day before the Bulls left for Vegas, and was very confident in what he feels his strengths in the playing-time race will be.
“Definitely a lot of versatility is kind of my thing,’’ Phillips told reporters. “Defense, being able to guard multiple positions. Offensively, being able to get downhill.’’
Both Terry and Phillips were expected to get a lot of playing time in Summer League, so let the jockeying for positioning begin.
