Billy Donovan, Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Guerschon Yabusele
Following a busy trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls took the floor on Thursday night with a roster very different from the one they had at the start of the week. Franchise cornerstones Coby White and Nikola Vucevic were sent out, Ayo Dosunmu had been in Chicago a while and he was also moved.
A plethora of guards came to join the team, in the form of Collin Sexton. Jaden Ivey. Anfernee Simons. They also signed NBA journeyman Mac McClung to a two-way contract in the interim as some other guys start to get up to speed. 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham is on the way, too.
Guerschon Yabusele was acquired from the Knicks. Not yet with the team, but Nick Richards was also an addition from Phoenix.
Four of the aforementioned players logged minutes against the Toronto Raptors. Bulls fans certainly got a glimpse at what the rest of the season will look like. Let’s discuss the new additions performances.
New-Look Bulls Make Debut Against Raptors
Spoiler alert, but the Bulls didn’t win their game on Thursday night. With four of their new players ready to debut, they started to get a look at what the rest of the year will look like.
Jaden Ivey logged 33 minutes in his first NBA game for Chicago. He shot 5-12 from the floor, putting up 13-4-6 with three steals. Having been playing limited minutes with the Bulls, it was good to see the guard finally get a chance to play a heavy load. 33 minutes for the fourth-year guard in all, as a matter of fact.
Mac McClung, a two-way signee, provided 12 minutes for the Bulls. He logged 12 minutes and put up four points. Getting some run in each half, it was his first NBA game since early November. More famously known for his dunk contest appearances, this was the 10th game of his career in the association.
Next we have Guerschon Yabusele, who didn’t play too much during his time with the New York Knicks. In a season-high 33 minutes, the Frenchman added 15 points and 11 rebounds, dishing out three assists and contributing two steals. To go from nine minutes a night to 33 in a debut is certainly different, but he looked comfortable in his new digs.
Lastly, was Anfernee Simons. No player looked more comfortable for Chicago than the high-scoring guard in this one. He poured in 22 points on 8-15 fron the floor, including six threes. He dished out three assists and blocked a shot, too. Playing a sixth man role in Boston during the first half of the year, his expectations are surely higher now. And he’s ready to meet them head on.
Chicago’s got next.
Looking Ahead for Chicago Bulls
With more player debuts to come, the Chicago Bulls will be trying to grow on the fly. Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons looked solid in their debuts, while Guerschon Yabusele proved he can be a strong rotation big for the rest of the season.
Collin Sexton and Nick Richards should get some burn. Josh Giddey and Tre Jones will return from injury at some point, giving the team an incredibly deep backcourt. Add in second-year man Rob Dillingham, and there’s a whole room full of hungry guards.
As it stands now, Chicago is the #10 seed in the West. With a number of their new additions set to become free agents this summer, this is a golden opportunity for them to set themselves up for the next payday and perhaps find their fit.