After a solid NBA Summer League, Malcolm Hill should have consistent role with Chicago Bulls

I don’t think Ayo Dosunmu is going to be the only former Illinois basketball player to be a mainstay in the NBA next season.

At the age of 26, former Illini wing Malcolm Hill finally got his first chance with an NBA franchise. He suited up for the Atlanta Hawks for three games and ended the season with the Chicago Bulls.

Hill would play 16 games for the Bulls during the 2021-22 campaign. He finished that season getting 10.4 minutes per game and averaging 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds each night. In January, Hill was offered a two-way contract so the Bulls could keep him in the system. They then offered him another two-way contract in June of this year.

While Hill is still trying to prove himself at the NBA level, he had a chance to shine during the Las Vegas Summer League over the past week or so. Hill didn’t just shine with the Bulls, though. He was one of the best players for the franchise.

Illinois basketball could put another player consistently on the Chicago Bulls roster with Malcolm Hill.

Hill’s performance in the Las Vegas Summer League was impressive. In the five games he played, Hill would average 13.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 steals while shooting 46.5% from the field and 88.9% from the free throw line.

The Bulls’ final game of the summer league featured Hill going off for 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. He saved his best performance for last. Overall, Hill would finish with four double-digit scoring performances and was an all-around great player on both ends of the court.

Heading into the 2022-23 campaign, it would be nice to see Ayo joined by Hill as a mainstay on Chicago’s roster. I think Ayo is going to continue to establish his place on the team. He is an important piece of the puzzle. His starts will probably shrink but that will be due to the Bulls actually getting healthy. But look for Ayo to be a big-time player off the bench.

I would love to see Hill coming off the bench not too far behind Ayo. I assume Hill would get a few minutes in each game, but the bulk of his time on the court would be garbage minutes. My dream is for Hill to show he can be a solid NBA player and for the Bulls to bring both Ayo and Hill into the game at the same time frequently. That would be fun to see as an Illinois basketball fan.

One thing is for sure, though. Hill has a place in the NBA, and he proved that once again with a great summer league performance.