Bulls coach Billy Donovan is using the last two preseason games as a ramp-up ahead of the regular-season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“My goal would be to try to get those guys relatively close to 30 minutes tonight,” Donovan said pregame. “Then the Minnesota game would be pretty close to a full rotation, maybe not quite full game minutes, but certainly close.”
With a five-day break between the last preseason game on Thursday against the Timberwolves and the season opener, Donovan said the teams will use those days to practice.
Donovan has used the preseason to experiment and examine various lineup combinations. The point guard spot has been the subject of combination throughout the preseason. The position has been a revolving door since former league MVP Derrick Rose hurt his knee. Guard Lonzo Ball seemed to grab hold of the position before suffering a knee injury that has forced him to miss two full seasons. Donovan is still mum on who will win the job.
“I think we’ll get to that point,” Donovan said. “I feel good about the guys back there. Jevon [Carter] a little bit, I think it’s a lot for him coming into a new situation and [learning] the terminology, defense, everything. He’s picked up everything very well, but I think also at the point guard position for him learning how to play with guys he’s never played with before.”
Carter started a career-high 39 games for the Milwaukee Bucks last season. The five-year pro, Donovan said, feels comfortable on- and -off the ball. Guard Coby White has been the starter for each preseason game and has started 74 games throughout his career.
“Things back there have slowed down,” Donovan said. “There’s a balance for him of not forgetting about himself and being aggressive from that perspective. But in terms of the awareness of what’s going on offensively, where guys are at and things that he’s called and things that he’s doing, I think he’s done a really good job with that.”
Caruso injury update
Bulls guard Alex Caruso injured his ankle in practice and will be unavailable for tonight’s game. Donovan said he stepped on someone’s foot in practice a couple of days ago, and the staff is being cautious with him.
Caruso plays a hard-nosed style that endears him to players and coaches alike. He’s missed 56 games over the past two seasons.
The team hopes that Caruso will be back for Thursday’s preseason game.
G League Signings
The Bulls signed forwards Derrick Favors and Kahlil Whitney to training camp deals late Monday.
Donovan said Tuesday that Favors will be in the G League. It’s likely that Whitney will also join him.
“I’ve always had respect for him [Favors] just being in the West with him for a period of time when he was at Utah,” Donovan said. I think certainly giving our younger players a veteran, well-respected presence, with Windy City, that’d be good.”
Favors is a 12-year NBA veteran and former number three overall pick and played most of his career for the Utah Jazz. He last played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021-22 season, averaging 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 39 games. Favors will bring size and 790 games of NBA experience.
Whitney is a strong, athletic forward prospect who played his college ball at Kentucky. Whitney, a Chicago native, played in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers last season. He averaged 5.5 points in 18 games.
