Walt

Lemon Jr.

Lemon Jr. inked a training camp deal with the Pacers in early October, but he was never expected to make the team.

Details weren’t announced but this is likely just a preseason deal, with Indiana’s roster currently at 20 players. We’re not expecting Lemon to earn a regular-season roster spot.

Lemon appeared in six games for the Bulls last season and scored a career-high 24 points late in the season against the Wizards. Lemon and Shaq Harrison had to be waived in order to create the necessary cap space for Chicago’s free agency plans.

Tuesday’s game will be the first of a back-to-back set, but we don’t anticipate Dunn suiting up for either of those games. Walter Lemon and Shaquille Harrison make for the most attractive backcourt targets in Chicago with the rest of the team injured.

Lemon shot 11-of-16 from the field with 2-of-2 free throws, and the Bulls look ready to turn him loose down the stretch -- he even hit a pair of free throws to put Chicago up with 1.8 seconds left tonight. They have nothing to lose beyond meaningless games, of course, especially while Kris Dunn (mid-back strain) and Zach LaVine (leg) remain on the sidelines. It’s increasingly likely that Dunn won’t return this season, so give Lemon a look if you need some cheap streaming value.

Alkins made 4-of-9 field goals and 2-of-4 free throws tonight, with one 3-pointer and two turnovers. Chicago was again playing without Kris Dunn (back), Zach LaVine (right leg), Lauri Markkanen (fatigue) and Otto Porter (shoulder). It’s silly season in Chicago, in other words, and DFS owners might as well give Alkins, Walter Lemon Jr. and others a look for temporary production.

Lemon, who played 31 minutes in his Bulls debut Saturday, is under contract for the remainder of the season after putting together a solid season with the team’s G League affiliate. He didn’t have the best night in Monday’s loss to the Knicks, but he’ll have more opportunities to prove himself before season’s end.

Joining TLC in the starting five will be Walter Lemon Jr., Shaquille Harrison, Wayne Selden and Robin Lopez in Chicago’s 18th, and perhaps grossest, starting lineup of the year. Luwawu is coming off an 18-point game, and he should see plenty of run with the Bulls devoid of other options, so he could be worth a dart throw in DFS.

Lemon recently joined the team and played 31 minutes on Saturday against the Raptors, scoring 19 points with four rebounds, six assists, four steals and one block. The Bulls will be without most of their rotation players, making Lemon worth an add in most deeper formats.

The Bulls are dealing with injuries to over 50% of their roster, so Lemon Jr. could actually get some decent run over the final six games of the season in Chicago. That said, this is a wait-and-see situation in all leagues.