NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It was a low point of the summer for Dalen Terry.
Actually it was rock bottom, and rightfully so.
He had come out of the Las Vegas Summer League looking more like an undrafted free agent just filling a July roster spot as a favor to an agent rather than the 18th overall pick from the 2022 draft putting in his second stint in Sin City, and he wore that disappointment on his shoulders like an uncomfortable parka.
Maybe it was all the talks with his Bulls teammates in the wake of those five disappointing games he played in, maybe it was another two weeks in Camp DeRozan, working out in Los Angeles at 3 a.m. every morning. Or maybe it was just a young man having an epiphany. Either way, it suddenly dawned on him: “Just trust my work.’’
And that’s how Terry took back his summer.
“It doesn’t sound right but this was the best summer I ever had,’’ Terry said. “When it comes to what everybody saw it wasn’t, but I feel like after Summer League – like I had put all my eggs in one basket going into Summer League and then when the (bleep) didn’t go the right way I felt like I had to sit down and regroup.
“I had to tell myself that there was a lot more summer left and a lot of things that I could work on. Once I took that step back and saw how things were going, I was like, ‘OK, I’ve got to work on this, this, this.’ ‘’
So that’s what the guard/forward did after shooting less than 34% from the field in Vegas and struggling to find consistency.
He put his head down and worked. That meant going back out to LA for some more rigorous mornings with DeRozan, and then when he was in Chicago it was about spending as much time as possible at the Advocate Center.
“I was so worried about showing out (in Summer League) because I wasn’t playing (as a rookie), and then finally I was just like, ‘Man, at the end of the day if you put your own work in, it’s going to show,’ ‘’ Terry said. “My thing was to come to this training camp a different player. I want to be the guy that when I’m open don’t hesitate, just shoot it every time. Make or miss, shoot it. But honestly I’ve been working so hard on my jump shot I feel like every shot is going in. With the vets I have, DeMar, Zach (LaVine), Vooch (Nikola Vucevic), they tell me, ‘Bro, the way you work out, it’s going to happen. Don’t know when it will work out with all the vets on our team, but don’t worry about none of that. Just be yourself and it will happen for you.’ ‘’
That’s where Terry currently resides in this week’s training camp – working and waiting for something to happen.
“Dalen, I think the game has slowed down for him,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “I think he’s worked really hard on his shooting. I think his shooting has gotten better. I still think he needs to continue to get better there, but I do think there’s been some growth just seeing what he’s been able to do.
“And I think the one thing that was good for him in Summer League was I think a lot of his mentality was going out there trying to score, and just realizing, ‘You know what, there’s other things I need to do to try and impact the game.’ I think that experience was good for him.’’
Breaking-in-the-rotation good?
That might be a tough get. Terry spent most of last season on the bench, vowing that he didn’t want a repeat performance of all the DNPs (Did Not Play). This current Bulls roster, however, remains deep.
The difference in Year 2 for Terry is he feels he’s better equipped to handle it this time, whatever the outcome.
“Last year I was killing myself when it came down to (not getting playing time), but I didn’t trust my work,’’ Terry said. “If I have to be honest, I didn’t trust my work. When this season starts and if I’m not in the rotation, ‘OK, cool.’ Just keep going, keep working. It’s going to all turn out how you want it to turn out. That’s just how it’s gonna go.’’