Even with the preseason schedule reduced to four games, don’t expect to see much from the Bulls when they host Zion Williamson and the Pelicans on Tuesday.
It basically will be getting some work in for the starters and a vanilla look in most of their offensive sets.
But that doesn’t mean coach Billy Donovan and his staff haven’t spent the last five months looking for ways to change things up a bit, especially offensively.
According to third-year forward Patrick Williams, Donovan wants to take advantage of the versatility of his players, which means a lot of ‘‘position-less’’ looks for opponents.
How that plays out remains to be seen, but Williams said he liked the feel of it so far.
‘‘The offense has kind of changed to more position-less, so I think I will be in different areas and different opportunities to make a play, whether that play is scoring or assisting or getting downhill and drawing the defense or whatever the play may be,’’ Williams said.
‘‘I think me and a lot of other guys, there’s different spacing this year to make plays. So I think definitely with my skill set and my size, my ability, just being able to make plays in whatever area or whatever aspect that may be, I think the offense is a lot more open and creative that way this year.’’
What Donovan also has on his side, especially with the starters — with or without Lonzo Ball (surgery on left knee) — is a number of playmakers on the roster.
DeMar DeRozan averaged 4.9 assists last season but handed out 6.9 two seasons ago with the Spurs. Zach LaVine averaged 4.9 assists in 2020-21, his first season under Donovan. Nikola Vucevic has averaged 3.4 assists in a season-plus under Donovan.
Then add in willing passers such as Williams, Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu and Ball (when he’s healthy), and it will be interesting to see how it works out.
The questionnaire
Ever since Dosunmu was drafted in the second round in 2021, his veteran teammates have raved about how curious he is and how many questions he asks.
Veteran newcomer Goran Dragic has become the latest brain for Dosunmu to pick.
‘‘He’s a very cool guy,’’ Dosunmu said of Dragic. ‘‘I ask a lot of questions. I asked him about his time in Phoenix, his short stint in Toronto, in Miami. He played in the Finals. He’s been in those tough games, he’s been in those tough battles. The more I pick his brain, the more it’s going to help me out.’’
L.A. story
DeRozan knows a lot of people in the Los Angeles area, some famous and some not.
So when Williams headed west to work out with DeRozan this summer, what kind of tour did he get? Not a very exciting one. Williams made it clear it was primarily a business trip.
‘‘No, I didn’t really get introduced to celebrities,’’ Williams said. ‘‘Obviously, being around his people, his family members, going to dinners, things like that, but not necessarily meeting any celebrities. But meeting celebrities, to me, isn’t really fun. I guess the basketball part is.’’
