Heading into the offseason, the Chicago Bulls prioritized improvement. After getting eliminated in the Play-In Tournament this past year by the Miami Heat, the Bulls could have hit the reset button, but they didn’t. Instead, Arturas Karnisovas set his sights on running back the roster with a revamped squad.
However, the NBA Draft also provided Chicago with an important opportunity. While they decided to remain competitive, adding young talent was still crucial in order to secure a bright future for the Bulls. They didn’t have any picks going into the event, but Chicago traded into the draft in order to select Tennessee forward Julian Phillips.
At Summer League, Keith Smith of Spotrac spoke to members of Chicago’s staff, who remained anonymous. One staffer he talked to spoke highly of Phillips, noting how excited the Bulls are to have him on board.
“Julian Phillips can do a lot of different things,” the staffer told Smith. “We’re excited about what he brings to our roster.”
Obviously, most teams who just made a draft pick will be high on the player they selected, but Phillips’ athleticism and defensive potential became clear during Summer League.
While he wasn’t as productive as some fans may have hoped, he still put together a solid run on very efficient splits. In four Summer League games, Phillips averaged 8.8 points and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 52.0% from the floor and 44.4% from behind the three-point line.
With the way the current Chicago depth chart is shaping up, and Derrick Jones Jr.’s departure, Phillips could have a chance to earn real minutes next year.
