The Chicago Bulls didn’t just make moves at the trade deadline - they made a statement. Seven trades, seven new faces in the building, and eight players out the door. Amid all that chaos, one of those departures - Dalen Terry - took a winding road that says a lot about both his current standing in the league and the Bulls’ front office strategy.
Terry was initially dealt to the New York Knicks in exchange for big man Guerschon Yabusele. But Terry never unpacked a bag in New York.
Instead, he was rerouted almost immediately to the New Orleans Pelicans, packaged with two second-round picks and cash for gritty guard Jose Alvarado. That stop didn’t last either.
The Pelicans waived Terry the very next day to make room for Bryce McGowens on a two-way deal.
Fast forward four days, and Terry found his next opportunity - this time with the Philadelphia 76ers, who signed him to a two-way contract on February 10. It’s not a full NBA deal, but it’s a lifeline. And in Philly, it might be more than that.
The Sixers just converted Dominick Barlow from a two-way to a standard contract, opening the door for Terry to join MarJon Beauchamp and Jabari Walker as the team’s current two-way players. That’s a group that’s seen real NBA time - Barlow and Walker have already combined for 87 appearances this season. With veteran wing Paul George currently serving a suspension, there’s a real chance Terry could see the floor sooner than expected.
For a player trying to carve out a place in the league, this is a solid landing spot. Philly has leaned on its depth all year, and with the postseason creeping closer, fresh legs and defensive energy on the wing could be exactly what they need.
Now let’s flip it back to Chicago.
On paper, moving Terry - a former 18th overall pick - for Yabusele raised a few eyebrows. Terry was on an expiring deal.
Yabusele, meanwhile, had one year left on a two-year, $11.7 million contract he signed in 2025. For a Bulls team that’s been laser-focused on maintaining future cap flexibility, it seemed like a strange move.
But then came the twist: Yabusele declined his player option, making him a free agent this summer. Suddenly, the Bulls had offloaded a player they weren’t going to keep anyway and picked up a big man who could help right now - without compromising their long-term books.
And Yabusele has delivered. In his first three appearances for Chicago, he’s averaged 27.3 minutes, 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.7 made threes per game. That’s not just filler production - that’s rotation-level impact, especially for a frontcourt that was thinned out at the deadline.
So what looked like a minor, almost administrative move at first glance might end up being one of the Bulls’ most important trades of this cycle. They turned a player who’s now on a two-way deal into a contributor who’s logging meaningful minutes and filling a real need.
As for Terry, the journey continues. Philly gives him a chance to reset, develop, and maybe even earn his way back into a full-time NBA role. But for now, the Bulls walk away with the win - a smart, strategic play that’s already paying on-court dividends.