The Bulls didn’t leave Las Vegas with a Summer League trophy, and they didn’t even manage a winning record. That part doesn’t matter much. What matters is that Chicago may have uncovered a player worth keeping an eye on, and maybe even a roster spot.
Caleb Wilson was the headliner from the start. The No. 4 overall pick opened with 35 points in his debut and finished with four eye-catching games, giving the Bulls plenty to feel good about heading into October. He was the biggest reason for the optimism, but he wasn’t the only one who stood out.
Jaylin Sellers made a strong case for himself on his two-way deal. The Providence guard played with a pit bull mentality, pressuring the ball on defense and pushing hard in transition.
Tobe Awaka, the Bulls’ other two-way signing, also got better as the week went on. Questions remain about how his undersized, less-athletic frame translates at the next level, but his strength and rebounding should help him keep that two-way spot.
The more interesting long-shot case may belong to Donovan Atwell. His overall Summer League numbers won’t jump off the page, but Chicago had every reason to pay attention. The Texas Tech guard was used heavily over five games, and his best trait showed up over and over again: shooting.
Atwell finished at 48.4 percent from three, and the Bulls kept putting him in positions to space the floor. He moved well without the ball, didn’t hesitate when the shot was there, and looked especially dangerous against the Wizards and Cavaliers, when he knocked down six threes in each game. When he got rolling, defenses didn’t have much of an answer.
That kind of shooting wasn’t a surprise to anyone who followed his college career. Atwell shot 41.5 percent from deep across four seasons, including 45.8 percent last year at Texas Tech on 8.4 attempts per game. That resume helps explain why Chicago was able to bring him in as an undrafted free agent, even if the rest of his offensive game raised real questions.
He wasn’t known as a creator off the dribble, and he wasn’t expected to put much pressure on the rim. That made it fair for teams to wonder whether his shooting alone would be enough to earn a full-time NBA job. But every team is hunting for bench shooting, and Atwell gave the Bulls a real sample of what that skill can look like.
He also held his own on defense. Atwell competed, moved his feet, and even blocked a few shots. At 6-foot-5 with a sturdy frame, he has enough size to avoid looking out of place, even if he doesn’t bring the kind of explosive athleticism this front office seems to favor.
Nobody is handing him a rotation role based on five Summer League games. But Chicago’s search for hidden value is exactly what this exercise is about, and Atwell at least put himself in that conversation.
The Bulls now have to decide how to keep him around. They could try to stash him with their G-League team after training camp, but that comes with risk.
Another team could always step in with a two-way deal. If Chicago wants to keep the evaluation going, it may have to make that move itself.
In Other News...
Bryson Graham May Have Found The Bulls Shooting Help They Need
Bryson Graham has already shown a knack for spotting players who can outplay their draft slot, and the Bulls are again looking in that direction as they sort through the edges of the roster. Jaylin Sellers is one of the names worth watching after a strong college run and a summer league showing that suggested he can bring real scoring punch, the kind of skill set that can matter on a team still looking for reliable shooting.
For Chicago, the appeal is pretty straightforward: Sellers does not need the ball to be productive, and his shot-making could help him fit alongside the pieces already in place. If he keeps building on that promise, he has a chance to become one of those overlooked contributors who ends up forcing his way into the rotation before long. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Just Turned A Draft Night Move Into A Rebuild Debate
The Bulls draft night started with real promise when they landed Caleb Wilson fourth overall and added Dailyn Swain in the first round, giving the front office at least a pair of young players to sell as part of the next phase. But the bigger conversation in Chicago quickly shifted away from the top of the board and toward what the team did with its second-round capital, because those picks often become the kind of low-cost swings rebuilding teams need to keep taking.
Instead, Chicago moved both of its second-round selections for cash considerations, a decision that drew immediate pushback even with executive Bryson Graham defending the approach. The contrast with Oklahoma City was hard to miss, since the Thunder have made a habit of stockpiling second-rounders as part of a broader talent pipeline, and it leaves the Bulls with a familiar question hanging over the rebuild: are they treating draft assets like tools, or like something easier to clear off the table? [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Land In Another Lakers Trade Idea With One Intriguing Catch
The Bulls have popped up again in a Lakers trade concept, this time as the third team in a proposal floated by NBA insider Jake Weinbach. The framework would shuffle P.J. Washington to Los Angeles and send Jarred Vanderbilt plus draft compensation to Dallas, while Chicagos role would be to help balance the money and add a young piece to its own side of the ledger.
For a Bulls front office that has spent plenty of time weighing flexibility against long-term upside, that kind of deal is at least easy to understand. The catch is whether Chicago would view the return as enough to justify stepping into a transaction built largely around the Lakers and Mavericks getting what they need, especially with the draft sweetener attached to its side of the deal still part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]