CLEVELAND – It’s not the ideal situation for the Bulls, especially with how much the front office feels is at stake for the development of this year’s roster, but it’s the situation they’ve been dealt.
Starting guard Coby White continues hitting a ramp-up threshold in his rehab from a calf strain, and until he can consistently climb over that hurdle there will remain uncertainty surrounding his return.
The hope? It’s still that he can play in the final preseason game and be ready for the Bulls’ tipping it off for real in two weeks, but according to Billy Donovan on Tuesday, that’s only optimism right now.
“The problem is when they all came back after Labor Day, the calf issue was bothering him,” Donovan said of White. “Treatment, rehab, all that stuff. And then every time they kind of ramped him up a little bit, it kind of always got to a place where he felt tightness. It wasn’t pain but every time they got to this threshold he felt tightness, so they basically just shut him down.”
Donovan did say that White has been running and shooting, so there was ongoing progress, but there is also an unsaid element to this. White is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and is betting on himself.
According to a source, early indications are that both sides want to get a deal done next summer to keep him a Bull. It makes sense for both sides to exercise extreme caution with a White return, but at the same time make sure one is coming as quickly as possible.
There’s the fine line being walked.
“I would say the optimism, the hope would be, can we get him in the last preseason game to play?” Donovan said. “And the hope is he would be ready to start the season.”
With White sidelined against Cleveland, Kevin Huerter got the start.
High expectations
There was a lot to like about Matas Buzelis and his preseason debut against the Cavs, especially the 19 points, but much more is expected by both player and coach.
The Bulls spent the offseason making sure Buzelis focused on becoming more of a primary ball-handler, especially on scenarios in which he grabbed a rebound and could push the action the other way.
Buzelis even reminded everyone, “I was a point guard when I was younger, so it’s me getting back to my roots. It’s like second nature.”
Only one assist against the Cavs didn’t exactly scream polished guard-like skills, and that’s where Donovan wants Buzelis to get to.
“He’s going to have total freedom to do that,” Donovan said. “I think the thing with Matas that he’s going to have to continue to develop and grow upon – and listen, like last year with the way the season started and kind of ended there’s still this development phase for him – but when he has the ball in his hands he still has to recognize spacing on the floor. There’s times where he gets into a little bit of trouble where he’s trying to create too much off the dribble and he’s putting himself in harm’s way. There has to be a balance of, ‘Yes Matas, be aggressive, but …’ “
Benchmark?
It was only a preseason opener but the first player off the bench in Cleveland and Donovan’s sixth man was Tre Jones. Meanwhile, Patrick Williams was not even among the first 10 players in the rotation.
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