Dalen Terry

Bulls Notes: Williams, Terry, Carter, Phillips, LaVine

January 20th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The right ankle pain that has been affecting Bulls forward Patrick Williams might linger for the rest of the season, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Soreness in the ankle has forced Williams to sit out a couple of recent games, and there’s no indication that it’s getting better. Williams talked to Cowley about his condition after playing nearly 27 minutes in tonight’s win over Memphis.

‘‘To be honest, I haven’t had many good days,’’ Williams said. ‘‘It’s just more of, ‘Can I play through it? Is this a feeling that I can play through or not? Can I cut? Can I jump?’ That’s pretty much the feel I’m trying to get, whether it’s pregame, practice or whatever the case may be. ‘Can I cut? Can I move?’ Hopefully the answer is always yes, but there’s times where [it’s], ‘Ah, I can’t really move and cut and jump the way I’m used to.’’’

Williams is getting used to managing an injury again after playing in all 82 games last season. Cowley observes that Williams sometimes doesn’t have his usual explosiveness, which is the result of limitations from the ankle. Cowley adds that next month’s All-Star break should provide some relief, but the ankle pain could be something Williams will have to deal with as long as the Bulls’ season lasts.

There’s more from Chicago:

With Zach LaVine sidelined for another week or two with an ankle sprain, Dalen Terry and Jevon Carter both saw an increased role in Saturday’s game, Cowley adds. Terry recently surpassed Carter in the rotation, but it appears coach Billy Donovan will be leaning on both of them until LaVine returns. ‘‘During the course of an NBA season, you’re going to have guys out,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘It gives an opportunity for someone that hadn’t had those number of minutes. The injuries are just a part of it. I think our guys should have confidence. Not every guy is going to be in the rotation when we’re whole. I’m pleased with the way the group has responded with injuries. I think we’ve responded well. It’s not to say we’ve always won, but I think the guys that have gotten the opportunity have kept themselves ready when it was time to play.’’ Rookie forward Julian Phillips was recalled from the G League and could join the rotation if Donovan wants to expand it to 10 players, Cowley notes.
Imaging on LaVine’s right ankle revealed swelling, but he will accompany the team on a three-game Western trip next week, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Tonight’s win improved the Bulls to 11-7 without LaVine in the lineup as they’re learning to adjust without one of their main offensive weapons, Cowley states in a separate story. “I think naturally it’s a next-guy-up mentality with this team,” Williams said. “We’ve shown that really over the years, but especially this year. We’ve done a good job of knowing what works, and I think that’s the sign of a good team.”

Central Notes: Bulls Fans, Carter, Nesmith, Bolden

January 13th, 2024 at 7:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls intended to honor their history Friday night as they welcomed the inaugural class for their new Ring of Honor, but the ceremony was overshadowed by the fans’ reaction toward late general manager Jerry Krause, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Many fans at the United Center loudly booed at the mention of Krause, sparking an emotional reaction from his widow, Thelma, who was there to represent him.

“I’m telling you what, Chicago is a sports town, and what we witnessed today when Jerry Krause’s name was called and the people that booed Jerry Krause and his widow, who was accepting this honor for him, it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” said former Bulls player Stacey King, who is now an analyst for NBC Sports Chicago. “I hurt for that lady. Brought her to tears, and whoever booed her in this arena should be ashamed of themselves.”

The first Ring of Honor class included 13 former players, coaches and executives, along with the entire 1995/96 team. Ex-coach Phil Jackson received the loudest cheers of the night, while franchise legend Michael Jordan didn’t attend the event but submitted a video message. Krause is blamed for breaking up the 1990s Bulls, who won six titles during the decade, a point that was emphasized in “The Last Dance” documentary.

“I’m devastated for Thelma and for the Krause family,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who was part of those title teams. “I cannot believe that the fans — and you have to understand, when you hear boos, it’s not all of them. The fans who booed, they know who they are. To me, it’s absolutely shameful, and I’m devastated by that. Whether people liked Jerry or not … we’re here to celebrate that team. Jerry did an amazing job building that team. … And I’m so disappointed in the fans — and I want to be specific because there were lots of fans who I’m sure did not boo. But those who booed, they should be ashamed.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Jevon Carter, a free agent addition last summer, appears to have fallen out of the Bulls‘ rotation, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Carter got his second straight DNP-CD against Golden State on Friday as second-year guard Dalen Terry was used ahead of him.
Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith was able to play after being listed as questionable Friday night, but he will miss Sunday’s game at Denver due to bilateral shin soreness, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Nesmith has started the last 10 games at small forward, and Dopirak notes that Indiana’s defense has improved since his move into the starting lineup.
After waiving Marques Bolden from their NBA roster last weekend, the Bucks have acquired his G League rights in a trade, the Wisconsin Herd announced (via Twitter). The Herd sent the rights to Gary Clark and a pair of 2024 G League draft picks to Salt Lake City in exchange for the 25-year-old center.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Terry, Drummond, Vucevic

January 9th, 2024 at 9:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The trade market for Zach LaVine has been cold and there’s a real possibility he’ll remain on the Bulls roster through the season, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes.

Word leaked early in the season that LaVine was open to being moved but there’s been little traction in that regard. His recent foot injury and modest production since his return hasn’t helped that cause.

However, LaVine seems to be focused on contributing to the team, rather than a fresh start.

“In my conversations with Zach — and again he’s never really talked about his future, his feelings toward the organization and the team, never anything like that — everything he’s talked about is: How does he help the group? And it’s always been really positive, constructive conversations with him,” coach Billy Donovan said. ‘I know there is a lot of reporting and things that were out there about what potentially may or may not happen, but my conversations with him leading into his return was he needed to come in and help the group any way he could.”

We have more on the Bulls:

Dalen Terry has received steady minutes and the 2022 first-rounder is earning Donovan’s trust, according to Cowley. “The thing I like about him is [that] as a young player, maybe getting consistent minutes this year where last year he didn’t, you know there’s going to be these moments of down where he’s not going to play well,” Donovan said. “I always try and look at younger players as, ‘How do they come back and respond?’ . . . It’s not even making or missing shots, [but] defensive rotations, assignments, sending a guy left and he doesn’t do that, or [he] forgets to block out, leaves his feet on a shot fake and fouls a shooter. Those are the things that he’s got to get more consistent on. [But] when he’s had games where he’s done those things, he’s always come back and responded really well, and I always think that’s a good sign.”
Andre Drummond has put up impressive stats while starting the last seven games but he’s headed back to his usual bench role on Wednesday, Cowley reports. Drummond averaged 14 points and a whopping 17.4 rebounds per game during that span as the Bulls went 4-3. Nikola Vucevic has been eased back into the rotation since returning from a groin injury but he’ll start against the Rockets. “Vooch brings a different thing to the table as far as what he does offensively,” Donovan said.
In case you missed it, the Bulls haven’t dismissed the possibility of including Lonzo Ball‘s contract as part of a trade package to upgrade the team.

Bulls Notes: Drummond, Taylor, DeRozan, Terry

December 27th, 2023 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Making his first start since joining the Bulls, Andre Drummond turned in an elite performance with 24 points and 25 rebounds in Tuesday’s win over Atlanta, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Drummond’s opportunity came because of an injury to starting center Nikola Vucevic, and he delivered his first 20-20 game in nearly three years. With Vucevic expected to miss several games, the 30-year-old center will continue to start for a while.

“My mentality is that I’m not a backup,” Drummond said. “I still believe I’m a starter in this league. But the position I’m in now, I take it and play it to the best of my ability.”

Drummond knew he was accepting a reserve role when he signed with Chicago in 2022, but he showed that he still has the skills that made him a two-time All-Star. He’s only averaging 14.3 minutes per game this season, but he was on the court for 39 minutes last night, putting up a monster stat line that included 10 offensive rebounds, three steals, two blocks and an 11-of-13 shooting performance.

“I’m really happy for him just because every day he comes in, he works,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He’s about the team. And a guy of his caliber and what he’s done in his career, he’s probably a guy, like he said, who deserves more minutes and could have played more minutes. But he always does what’s best for the team.”

There’s more from Chicago:

The Bulls will use some small-ball lineups to help get through Vucevic’s absence, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Donovan gave 6’5″ Terry Taylor some minutes in the middle against Atlanta and indicated that Patrick Williams may also see time in that role.
DeMar DeRozan is making an effort to get his teammates involved in the offense early in games, Johnson adds. DeRozan led the Bulls with 25 points on Tuesday, but he recorded four assists before hitting his first basket. “It makes my job easier going into the fourth quarter,” DeRozan said. “Those guys look to me to close out the game. Sometimes not necessarily scoring but play-making and trying to make the right decisions. It’s fun. There’s never a game where I feel like I gotta get up X amount of shots or whatever. I trust those guys. And I know when they give me the look, it’s time for me to do my part.”
Donovan is turning to Dalen Terry to fill in for Torrey Craig while he recovers from a plantar fascia sprain, notes Annie Costabile of The Chicago Sun-Times. The second-year shooting guard was averaging 18.6 minutes per game over the last three contests prior to Tuesday. “He knows he’s got to get better,” Donovan said. “But I don’t want him totally focused on that. He’s going to play whether he’s missing or making shots. Even earlier on, when he was getting an opportunity to play, what impressed me was [that] his discipline has increased [his execution] on both ends of the floor.”

Bulls Notes: Hot Streak, LaVine, White, Terry, Phillips

December 21st, 2023 at 9:05am CST by Arthur Hill

There are no more calls to break up the Bulls, who improved to 7-3 in their last 10 games by beating the Lakers on Wednesday night, writes Jon Greenberg of The Athletic. Chicago has moved back into the race for a play-in spot with its recent hot streak after stumbling out of the gate with a 5-14 start.

The improvement coincides with the foot inflammation that knocked Zach LaVine out of the lineup, although no one connected with the team wants to say that directly. As Greenberg notes, there are several reasons for the success, such as DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic serving as the foundation of the offense, Alex Caruso becoming team MVP with his all-around play, and Coby White emerging as the star point guard the organization has been lacking since Lonzo Ball‘s injury.

L.A. is considered one of the prime landing spots for LaVine, and Greenberg suggests both teams might benefit from a trade. However, coach Billy Donovan dismissed the idea that the Bulls are better without LaVine and said he still has a role on the team.

“I think the biggest thing for us collectively is we get down the floor and flatten the defense out with everybody,” Donovan said. “I think that’s one of the things we’ve been preaching all along. I think Zach can play any style. For us, with him coming back in, I think he fits into how we’re trying to play.”

There’s more from Chicago:

With White shooting a career-high 42.6% from long distance this season, Caruso is campaigning for him to be invited to the three-point contest at All-Star Weekend, adds Greenberg, who states that White’s recent play may put him in the All-Star conversation as well. “Yeah, I mean, I don’t like all the attention,” White said. “And that’s probably part of the reason why (Caruso) did it. Because he knows it makes me kind of uncomfortable.”
The Bulls’ success is a result of playing at a faster tempo, says K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Whether it’s related to LaVine’s absence or not, the players have been more aggressive about pushing the ball upcourt over their last 10 games and creating more scoring opportunities in transition. “We’re all super unselfish guys. I feel like the ball is moving at a high rate,” White said. “The main thing we’ve been doing these last however many games is just playing a lot faster. Even on made baskets, we’re getting the ball out quick and trying to get up the floor, making us hard to guard so we can play less in the halfcourt.”
Donovan expects Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips to have increased roles in the wake of Torrey Craig‘s plantar fascia injury, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Terry has been the main beneficiary so far, playing 21 minutes against the Lakers.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Caruso, Terry, Phillips, Carter

November 11th, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rival teams are keeping an eye on the Bulls amid their slow start, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Friday on “NBA Today” (hat tip to Bleacher Report). Chicago is 13th in the East with a 3-6 record, leading to speculation that changes could be coming soon.

“In talking to some people around the league, the scouts are jamming themselves into Bulls games because they realize that at some point, the Bulls may break this team up,” Windhorst said. “And they’re all gathering intelligence like, ‘What’s gonna happen with the Bulls?'”

Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are expected to be in demand if Chicago decides to shake up its roster. There has been speculation that the Sixers may pursue LaVine with the assets they got in the James Harden deal, although one subsequent report said the Bulls have “no intention” of trading the high-scoring guard. DeRozan is playing on an expiring $28.6MM contract and hasn’t been able to work out an extension, so the team may be more inclined to part with him if it becomes a seller.

There’s more from Chicago:

Alex Caruso would be a valuable trade chip if the Bulls decided to move him, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Even though he comes off the bench and his value is primarily on defense, Caruso has been the team’s most valuable player so far this season, according to Mayberry. Caruso would be a valuable addition for anyone aiming to win right away and he’s signed for one more year at a team-friendly $9.9MM, Mayberry adds. A Caruso deal could help the Bulls replenish their depleted draft capital.
Dalen Terry, a first-round pick in 2022, has been assigned to the G League several times already this season while rookie Julian Phillips has remained with the Bulls, but coach Billy Donovan said that’s not reflective of their standing on the team, Mayberry states in the same piece. “Dalen had a whole year last year with the group,” Donovan said. “He was down in the G League some but not necessarily a lot. I think getting Julian acclimated to NBA life, around our team, practices, the flow, those kinds of things, is important. There will be a time when he’ll end up going down there and playing in games.”
DeRozan said he never liked Jevon Carter as an opponent because of his tenacity on defense and his mismatched shoes. Carter explained to Mayberry that the different-color sneakers were a way to get attention for the AND1 brand when he wasn’t playing regularly.

Central Notes: Giannis, Bucks, Knox, Caruso, Phillips, Terry

November 9th, 2023 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was assessed a technical foul in the second quarter of Wednesday’s win over Detroit, was hit with a second technical and ejected from the game early in the third quarter. Antetokounmpo briefly stared down Isaiah Stewart after a dunk, prompting the ejection (Twitter video link via Stephen Watson of Bally Sports Wisconsin). Antetokounmpo and his teammates were surprised by the decision, as Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel details.

“He made like a little face and he took off running and he didn’t say a word,” Jae Crowder said. “I think that’s why he was so frustrated, like, ‘You really threw me out and I didn’t say anything?’ Like, the first tech, I think he would say he deserved it. He deserved that first tech. The second one was like, he didn’t say a word, so how do you throw him out for that? He definitely stared, but I don’t know if that’s a tech. I don’t know about that one.”

Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin didn’t criticize the officiating decision during his postgame comments, instead suggesting that he has a responsibility to make sure his star player doesn’t end up in that situation again.

“I think I just have to do a better job,” Griffin said. “Giannis doesn’t complain to the refs. He’s really respectful to the refs and I think I’m letting him down in that sense. I think I need to be a little more, just vocal, during the games when he’s getting hit and kind of stick up for him a little bit better. I’ve been dropping the ball on that.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Seth Partnow of The Athletic considers whether or not it’s too early to be concerned about Milwaukee’s major drop-off in defensive efficiency this fall. Although the Bucks are off to a 5-2 start, they rank 25th in the NBA in defensive rating (115.8) and are the only team with a winning record that has been outscored so far this season.
The one-year, minimum-salary deal that Kevin Knox signed with the Pistons is non-guaranteed, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. If he plays out the contract, Knox would earn $2,144,320, the prorated portion of his minimum salary.
Alex Caruso isn’t one of the Bulls‘ “big three” stars, but his teammates know his value and rave about what he brings to the team — DeMar DeRozan tells Jamal Collier of ESPN he can envision Caruso winning a Defensive Player of the Year award.“He’s our Ray Lewis. He’s the Deion Sanders. He’s the Charles Woodson,” DeRozan said. “He definitely is one of those great, vocalist, communicators and competitors when it comes to that end of the ball.”
A crowded Bulls depth chart means there has been no room in the rotation early in the season for rookie forward Julian Phillips or second-year wing Dalen Terry. As Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes, the club intends to get both players some regular minutes in the G League and has mapped out the first month of the Windy City Bulls’ schedule to see how it coincides with Chicago’s schedule as it prepares a plan for those youngsters.

Bulls Pick Up 2024/25 Option On Dalen Terry

October 31st, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have exercised their team option on Dalen Terry for the 2024/25 season, the team confirmed today (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago).

The 18th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Arizona, Terry appeared in just 38 games as a rookie, averaging 2.2 points and 1.0 rebounds in 5.6 minutes per night.

The 6’7″ wing has expressed, on multiple occasions, a desire to earn a more regular role for Chicago in his second NBA season, but that hasn’t materialized in the early going — he has logged just five minutes in two appearances so far and was assigned to the Windy City Bulls in the G League for training camp.

Terry will earn approximately $3.35MM this season and now has his $3.51MM salary for 2024/25 guaranteed as well. The Bulls will have to decide by October 31, 2024 whether or not to pick up his fourth-year option for ’25/26, which is worth just shy of $5.4MM.

Rookie scale options decisions for ’24/25 are due by the end of the day on Tuesday. You can view all those decisions right here.

Central Notes: DeRozan, Allen, Garland, Mitchell, Okoro, Terry

October 30th, 2023 at 6:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

DeMar DeRozan is playing on an expiring contract but the Bulls’ wing says he’s not concerned about the lack of an extension to this point.

“I honestly don’t think about it at all. I never have,” DeRozan told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “It doesn’t worry me or stress me out. Again, I control what I can control. And in due time, let it speak for itself.”

DeRozan also doesn’t envision trying to force a trade.

“I feel like I wouldn’t be able to lay down comfortably if I went somewhere and said, ‘(Expletive) trade me. I’m tired of this.’ That’s just not me,” he said. “I’m going to compete, be the best version I can be and let it go from there.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Jarrett Allen (ankle bone bruise) and Darius Garland (hamstring strain) will remain out of the Cavaliers’ lineup against the Knicks on Tuesday and Donovan Mitchell (hamstring) is listed as questionable, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. However, Allen and Mitchell did practice on Monday, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Garland went through an individual shooting workout to test his hamstring, Fedor adds (Twitter link).
The Cavaliers will be playing the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season. Isaac Okoro admits that disappointment was tough to shake, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “I know [losing to the Knicks] stuck with me for a pretty long time,” Okoro said. “It took me a minute to get over it.”
The Bulls have assigned forward Dalen Terry to their NBA G League franchise, the Windy City Bulls, the NBA team tweets. With Tuesday’s deadline looming, the Bulls have yet to exercise their $3,5MM third-year option on Terry. The 2022 first-rounder has only played five minutes this season. “It’s great he’s with us at times. But I don’t know if we want to keep him with us if he’s not going to be in the rotation,’ “coach Billy Donovan told Johnson.

Bulls Notes: White, Williams, Grades, Phillips, Preseason

October 21st, 2023 at 12:21pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Bulls guard Coby White and forward Patrick Williams are going to be a part of Chicago’s starting lineup barring something unforeseen, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

White, in particular, impressed in the preseason and during training camp, averaging 13.2 points and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 54.3% from the field. He beat out Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter for the starting job.

“I haven’t done nothing yet,” White said. “If I am the starting point guard, I have to keep growing obviously. I want to be a leader of this team. Being vocal, controlling the team, getting teammates in spots where they like the ball and picking my times to be aggressive and get to the paint and force kick outs and just continue to create. I feel like the main thing for me coming into training camp was expanding on my leadership role.”

Williams averaged 11.0 points in five preseason games and while he didn’t shoot well (38.5% from the floor), he finished the preseason on a strong note by playing aggressively, Johnson notes.

“I think Patrick continues to evolve. He has played well,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I think you also look at a fact of bringing Jevon, Alex [Caruso] and Torrey [Craig], there’s a good defensive mentality and energy there.”

We have more Bulls-related notes:

White is among the biggest winners of the preseason, earning a ‘B’ grade from The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry, who says the 23-year-old looked comfortable in the lead guard role and could be a breakout player this season. Nikola Vucevic, Zach LaVine, Dosunmu, Torrey Craig and Carter joined White in earning ‘B’ grades while Williams and Dalen Terry both earned a ‘D,’ the lowest grade Mayberry gave out. Mayberry explains that Williams needs to become more consistent and Terry may need more time in the G League.
Every NBA team develops its own version of small-ball lineups built on defense that can take advantage of slower teams, and rookie Julian Phillips may be able to find a role in such a lineup, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Phillips is is incredibly bouncy and could take over the small-ball five role left vacated by the departure of Derrick Jones Jr., Cowley adds. “That’s definitely something we harp on a lot – defense,” Phillips said. “You get that shot … you have to have that mentality that all five guys are going to stay connected. You get that opportunity, you need to be ready to defend at that level, lock down somebody.“
Even though the Bulls figured out their regular season starting lineup early in the preseason, they left plenty of boxes on their camp to-do list unchecked, Cowley opines in another piece. Those unchecked boxes include utilizing Vucevic as a passing hub, which the big man says is “still a work in progress,” their play on the defensive end of the ball, and what the rotation will look like. K.C. Johnson agreed the Bulls have a long way to go on defense and will need to improve in that area.

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