Chicago Bulls’ pick of Dalen Terry has a lot to do with Lonzo Ball

Leading up to the 2022 NBA Draft, it was anyone’s guess as to what the Chicago Bulls were going to do.

Owning the no. 18 pick, there have been plenty of rumors about the Bulls trading the pick, along with guard Coby White. There have also been a load of rumors about the Bulls trading for both Rudy Gobert and John Collins.

But, the Bulls kept the pick and went with Arizona point guard Dalen Terry.

The pick came as a little bit of a surprise when many fans wanted a big man, but in the end, it makes a whole lot of sense when you take into consideration the situation of starting point guard Lonzo Ball.

The Chicago Bulls drafting point guard Dalen Terry has much to do with point guard Lonzo Ball.

Look at the immediate facts, first of all. Ball’s health has been in question for quite some time, and some have started to become worried about his knee. Ball has attempted to ramp up his conditioning multiple times since his surgery, and each time it has caused a setback with his recovery.

Drafting Terry is absolutely insurance for Ball, first and foremost. The Bulls must be legitimately concerned about the immediate future of Ball. Should he miss the start of the season, Chicago will go with second-year pro Ayo Dosunmu and have Terry coming off the bench.

This likely also means that Coby White is as good as gone, as the Bulls have been trying to trade him for a little while now.

Back to Lonzo and Terry, though.

Looking at the scouting report for Terry, one can see a whole lot of similarities between he and Lonzo. Terry stands 6-foot-7 and comes in as the known “glue guy” for his Arizona Wildcats. If you asked someone what Lonzo meant to the Bulls last season, one could argue he was absolutely the “glue guy,” because once he went out, the Bulls came completely undone.

Terry is a stout defender and can guard multiple positions. If he had to, Terry could guard positions 1-4. He is a phenomenal athlete and brings a good amount of energy on both ends of the floor. He’s a guy who always looks to get his teammates involved and can facilitate well.

Last year, Terry averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He truly did everything for the Wildcats, and comes to the Bulls as someone who could step in and play a very similar role as Lonzo.

The athletic profile and intangibles are eerily similar to Ball, but Terry is an even better athlete. While many wanted size, Terry ended up being a smart, safe pick and he could prove to be a very big part of this team, especially if Ball does not return anytime soon.