Bulls win in Summer League debut, but a bad night for Dalen Terry
It was a Summer League display that only a general manager could love.
In the case of Tony Snell’s 2014 showcase, only a Gar Forman could love.
The former first-round draft pick [No. 20 overall in the 2013 draft], had Las Vegas buzzing, leading the young Bulls in scoring with 20 points per game, was third in rebounding with 4.0, and second in both assists and blocks, while shooting 47% from the field and a blistering 50% from three-point range.
It earned Snell All-NBA Summer League First-Team honors, putting a huge “I told-you-so’’ smirk on the face of the former Bulls GM in Forman.
Snell, however, never amounted to much of anything in a Bulls uniform. That season, or really ever.
Just another reminder of what happens in Vegas, usually stays in Vegas, especially when it comes to the over-hype of Summer League buzz.
And thank goodness for Dalen Terry it works both ways.
A bad Summer League game – like the one Terry went through in Friday’s 83-74 Bulls win over Toronto – might not be a good look, especially for a second-year guy, but carries little weight in the big picture.
That was reinforced by current Bulls GM Marc Eversley.
“What we want to see is some growth,’’ Eversley said during the broadcast when discussing his young players. “The summer is obviously a time where you want to focus on your development, getting better, but for us we want to see some growth. For us, the way we’re constructed and built, you know, built around Zach [LaVine], Vooch [Nikola Vucevic], and DeMar [DeRozan], we really want players to come in and complement those guys.
“Whether you’re talking about a Dalen Terry or a Justin Lewis, who is going to be a two-way [contract player], you’re really looking for those guys to grow and develop, kind of find their niche on how they can help us.’’
In Terry’s case, be better than 4-for-14 from the field for 10 points like he was against the Raptors.
Not only did Terry struggle with his shooting – the knock on him as a rookie last year – but also needed to be a better play-maker. The former Arizona guard worked as the primary ball-handler, but didn’t exactly stand out in that role.
Not the only disappointment of the night for the Bulls.
Just before the tip, the Bulls announced that second-round draft pick Julian Phillips would not play against Toronto because the rookie had not yet signed his contract.
The Bulls traded into the second round in last month’s draft to select the high-flying Phillips 35th overall, and he had been practicing with the Summer League team since last week.
Hopefully the contract will be resolved before the Bulls play Memphis Saturday night.
But the young players weren’t all that Eversley discussed, specifically reiterating why the team made re-signing Vucevic as such a high priority when free agency began over a week ago.
“Vooch is so big and important to what we do and how we grow,’’ Eversley said. “He’s a unique player in that he’s a 7-footer, but he can stretch the floor, he can create space, he can make shots, and he makes things easier for Zach and DeMar to operate.’’
The other player that Eversley focused on? Patrick Williams.
“I think this is a really big year for Patrick Williams,’’ Eversley added. “For us to take that next level, Patrick’s got to grow. I know he’s put in the work this summer, he’ll continue to put in the work. He’s really got to take another step. Learning how to play with those three guys [LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevic] is going to be critical for him. Whether it’s making shots, getting to the bucket … he’s got to take that next step offensively.’’
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
