Bulls guard Coby White and forward Patrick Williams are going to be a part of Chicago’s starting lineup barring something unforeseen, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
White, in particular, impressed in the preseason and during training camp, averaging 13.2 points and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 54.3% from the field. He beat out Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter for the starting job.
“I haven’t done nothing yet,” White said. “If I am the starting point guard, I have to keep growing obviously. I want to be a leader of this team. Being vocal, controlling the team, getting teammates in spots where they like the ball and picking my times to be aggressive and get to the paint and force kick outs and just continue to create. I feel like the main thing for me coming into training camp was expanding on my leadership role.”
Williams averaged 11.0 points in five preseason games and while he didn’t shoot well (38.5% from the floor), he finished the preseason on a strong note by playing aggressively, Johnson notes.
“I think Patrick continues to evolve. He has played well,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I think you also look at a fact of bringing Jevon, Alex [Caruso] and Torrey [Craig], there’s a good defensive mentality and energy there.”
We have more Bulls-related notes:
- White is among the biggest winners of the preseason, earning a ‘B’ grade from The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry, who says the 23-year-old looked comfortable in the lead guard role and could be a breakout player this season. Nikola Vucevic, Zach LaVine, Dosunmu, Torrey Craig and Carter joined White in earning ‘B’ grades while Williams and Dalen Terry both earned a ‘D,’ the lowest grade Mayberry gave out. Mayberry explains that Williams needs to become more consistent and Terry may need more time in the G League.
- Every NBA team develops its own version of small-ball lineups built on defense that can take advantage of slower teams, and rookie Julian Phillips may be able to find a role in such a lineup, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Phillips is is incredibly bouncy and could take over the small-ball five role left vacated by the departure of Derrick Jones Jr., Cowley adds. “That’s definitely something we harp on a lot – defense,” Phillips said. “You get that shot … you have to have that mentality that all five guys are going to stay connected. You get that opportunity, you need to be ready to defend at that level, lock down somebody.“
- Even though the Bulls figured out their regular season starting lineup early in the preseason, they left plenty of boxes on their camp to-do list unchecked, Cowley opines in another piece. Those unchecked boxes include utilizing Vucevic as a passing hub, which the big man says is “still a work in progress,” their play on the defensive end of the ball, and what the rotation will look like. K.C. Johnson agreed the Bulls have a long way to go on defense and will need to improve in that area.
It does not really matter what the Bulls do, they pretty much have the same guys from last season and will be likely just as bad. The org is screaming for a rebuild, but they have been so bad, they cannot even get what they want for their ‘good’ players.
Patrick Williams won’t sign an extension and then will hit FA at the end of the year. I really hope he has a good agent and makes a smart decision for his next landing spot.
Defensively he could be one of the best players in the league, offensively he’s got the ability to shoot the lights out from the corners. He’d be a great fit on a lot of contending teams and would improve so much on another team. Needs to land in the right spot tho cause the next move could be make or break for him.
He’s be go well in that Miami heat culture if they decided to go abit younger. They kinda need a 3/4, he’s definitely in that 3 and D build, and would fit into that hard working culture. Plus long term wise they need to eventually build for life after Jimmy around Herro and Bam.
If he wanted to be on a younger team I think Portland could be a good spot. Scoot Simons Sharpe Ayton etc but no real 3 and D forwards and they need both shooting and defence. Obviously Jerami Grant is there but he’s getting older, he’s not apart of their future and what they are trying to build.