The Chicago Bulls’ depth chart is already overflowing with guards, but Chicago’s summer league point guard simply hit too many shots to be denied a roster spot.
The summer Bulls concluded their five-game stint in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Chicago’s Vegas experience was promising, as it featured many an exciting play — not to mention a 28-point performance — from lottery pick Matas Buzelis.
No one on the Bulls’ summer league squad was more productive in Vegas than lead guard DJ Steward, who averaged 17.4 points per game on 40 percent from three-point distance over the five games.
Steward’s magnum opus was a 37-point, seven-rebound performance in an overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. Steward hit eight threes in the game and also converted the clinching bucket for Chicago with seconds remaining.
On Sunday, Steward was rewarded for his efforts with a two-way deal from the Bulls, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Steward, a native of Chicago, joins Buzelis and Ayo Dosunmu as players on the Bulls roster hailing from the Windy City. Steward played one year at Duke and proceeded to go unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft. He most recently played for the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League.
Steward is still just 22 years of age. Though he’s just 6-foot-2, Steward’s 6-foot-7 wingspan and growing status as an elite shooter give him a legitimate chance to impact NBA games on both ends of the floor.
With Chicago’s guard corps already overcrowded, Steward will likely play a lot for the Bulls’ G League affiliate, Windy City Bulls. Still, earning a two-way contract with Chicago represents a huge accomplishment for Steward with his entire career in front of him.
Furthermore, if one or both of Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine are soon moved by the Bulls, Steward stands to receive an immediate promotion.
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