Bulls forward Matas Buzelis had a chat with coach Billy Donovan about if the 19-year-old forward would spend time in the G League this season. Donovan responded that he didn’t know, but it was Buzelis's response that resonated with Donovan.
“He said, ‘Well, I just want to let you know I don't have a problem with that,'" Donovan said. "'Whatever I gotta do to get better,'" Donovan said.
The open-minded approach for Buzelis was appreciated by Donovan, who has tempered expectations for the rookie because of his youth and inexperience. There’s a fearlessness to Buzelis’ game that is rare for a rookie and he showed flashes in Tuesday’s preseason game against the Cavaliers. But Donovan has been careful not to put too much on the forward’s plate.
Though Buzelis has shown some enticing physical traits — his athleticism, lateral quickness and length — he still has to become accustomed to the mental side of the game. Figuring out what defensive coverage they’re in against the pick-and-roll, scouting his matchup and the physical nature of the league are all aspects of the game that will take time to develop.
“As a young player, he's got a tremendous upside,” Donovan said. “Every guy has their own trajectory of how they get better and how they improve. I just want to see him get better and continue to maintain the attitude he has."
The preseason for teams without established rotations is about trotting out different combinations and seeing which ones click.
Experimenting is also imperative for the Bulls as they implement a new style of play and determine how to deploy their plethora of guards.
With guard Coby White out with a groin injury, guard Ayo Dosunmu moved into the starting lineup for Saturday’s game against the Grizzlies.
Dosunmu slotting in at point guard gives the Bulls a dependable cutter and a stout defender, but he doesn’t have the knockdown shooting ability that White does. But given the Bulls’ propensity for slow starts — the team had a -1.7 net rating in the first quarter last season — it’s worth trying new lineups.
“I talked to those guys a little bit about it; that we got to get that solved,” Donovan said. “And maybe something solving it would be moving around some of the lineup. I think [guard Zach LaVine], be honest with you, after the game was on it. He was the one from a verbal standpoint that said we got to be better starting games.”
Center Jalen Smith missed Saturday’s game with a knee injury and guard Lonzo Ball didn’t participate in shootaround Saturday morning.
Donovan said White and Smith were ruled out because of precaution. But with Ball, the Bulls’ medical staff is dealing with uncharted territory as he attempts to return from a knee injury that required a knee cartilage transplant surgery.
The plan is still for Ball to play in two of the last three preseason games.
“His timing is coming back,” Donovan said. “He’s really smart and a high-IQ player. It's going to be a learning curve for all of us, and I think he's been very open about how he does feel. He's smart, like he doesn't just want to play this year, he wants to continue to play.”
