The Bulls should use these two players in their lineup the next season.
The Chicago Bulls have centered much of their attention on 11th pick Matas Buzelis, who has already shown enormous potential, as NBA Summer League comes to an end.
The Bulls are in desperate need of developing talent, particularly in light of their recent (kind of) rebuilding endeavors. Aside from Buzelis, there were two guys at Summer League who appeared ready to enter the NBA rotation.
The Chicago Bulls’ standout player was DJ Steward.
Steward is a native of Chicago, just as Buzelis, and he was a notable player for the Bulls in Summer League. Following a 37-point performance against Atlanta in which he was making jumpers from all over the court, Steward led the Bulls in scoring.
In Summer League play, he made good use of the ball, connecting on 47% of his total shoots and 40% of his long-range tries on more than six attempts per game. He created opportunities for teammates and had the appearance of a backup point guard capable of leading the team in spurts, scoring baskets, and coming off the bench. Lonzo Ball won’t be able to play significant minutes even if he returns, leaving the Bulls scant at point guard behind Josh Giddey.
Steward seems like an NBA rotation player, which would be a great find for the Bulls.
However, he signed a two-way contract with the Bulls, so he’ll probably play in the G-League for a while. Before playing just one season at Duke, Steward, who is only 22 years old, was regarded as one of the greatest guard prospects in his class.
He may be prepared to make the switch to an NBA rotation after playing in the G-League for a portion of three seasons and posting impressive stats. In the second apron age, it will be even more crucial to target lower-paid players who can have an impact, which is hopefully what the Bulls have done.
Steward would be a fan favorite right away, and may get his chance depending on how the Bulls roster ultimately shakes out.
Julian Phillips is ready for more
Phillips played just 40 games in his rookie season for the Bulls, missing time with a foot injury that cost him the end of the season, a common theme for Chicago last year.
After being selected in the second round, Phillips was somewhat of a forgotten man.
However, now that he is healthy, he shown in Summer League what he can bring to the Bulls rotation. After losing Alex Caruso, the Bulls badly needed someone who could disturb the game with his defense, and Phillips delivered more than two steals per game on average.
With his enormous wingspan, Phillips is regarded as a hustler who puts in the grunt work on defense without needing the ball in his hands to have an impact.
In addition, Phillips averaged almost six rebounds and a block in significant minutes, demonstrating his health and his potential as a glue player who can defend and add a lot of energy off the bench for the Bulls the next season.
It was a fruitful Summer League because both of these guys might begin the next season in the Chicago Bulls’ rotation, depending on what transpires over the remaining summer.
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