Dalen Terry’s latest NBA stop ended before it really had a chance to begin.
The former Bulls first-round pick had landed with the Philadelphia 76ers after a winding stretch that took him from Chicago to the New York Knicks in the Guerschon Yabusele deal, then immediately to the New Orleans Pelicans for Jose Alvarado, and then on to Philadelphia. For a brief moment, it looked like he might have found some stability there. Instead, the 76ers waived him after LeBron James arrived on a two-year minimum contract and forced the team to make room under the first tax apron.
That’s the kind of breakneck roster math that can turn a supposed opportunity into a dead end in a hurry.
Terry’s path had already been slipping for a while. Chicago drafted the 6'6" Tempe native 18th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft after he played at Arizona, and there was real belief he could become another one of the Bulls’ useful guard finds - the kind of long, versatile defender who can handle multiple spots and chip in enough offense to stay on the floor. The Bulls have had some success in that lane over the last decade, from Ayo Dosunmu at the high end to Jevon Carter at the low end.
But Terry never turned the promise into production. Across four seasons with Chicago, he averaged just 3.5 points per game.
His shooting never came around, climbing from 25.9 percent as a rookie to 31.9 percent by the end of his Bulls run. In 204 games, he finished with 100 assists and 101 personal fouls.
He was a solid defender, but Chicago always had better answers for guarding 1s and 2s without giving too much back on offense.
That left open the possibility that another team might take a chance on him. Philadelphia did exactly that, signing him to a standard contract. But the deal was non-guaranteed, which meant the margin for error was tiny from the start.
As of Sunday, the Sixers had already made their move: Terry was waived, and LeBron was signed.
Because Terry has four years of NBA experience, he can’t simply pivot to a two-way contract elsewhere. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the options get thin fast. He could be looking at a training camp deal, a G League path, or a move overseas.
That’s the harsh reality of the league. Terry was close to hanging around on a playoff roster, and now he’s back in limbo.
The Bulls moved on months ago. The 76ers have now done the same.
And for Terry, the next step may depend on whether another team is willing to give him one more shot.
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What makes the reminder sting is how the numbers keep circling back to the same theme: Chicago has spent real resources on two players who have not yet matched their draft billing, while Smith has quietly become the most encouraging of the three. The broader comparison with the rest of the 2020 class only sharpens the point, because the Bulls are still waiting for one of these bets to look like a clear win rather than another entry in a draft story that keeps raising the same uncomfortable question. [Read more 🡒]
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Bulls Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Knicks Guard They Need
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Miles McBride fits the kind of swing the Bulls should be chasing. He is extension eligible and entering the final season of his three-year, $13 million fully guaranteed deal, which gives New York a decision to make sooner rather than later. McBrides profile as a perimeter threat only adds to the appeal for a Chicago team that could use more spacing, but the bigger question is whether the Knicks can afford to keep everyone in place long enough to avoid opening a door. [Read more 🡒]