Coby White

Bulls Notes: Williams, Caruso, White, Offense

November 7th, 2023 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls‘ 2017 lottery pick, Lauri Markkanen, spent his first four NBA seasons with the organization, but didn’t break out until two years later in Utah, well after Chicago signed-and-traded him away for a fairly modest return.

Head coach Billy Donovan doesn’t anticipate the team taking the same route with former No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). While the fourth-year forward has yet to break out and was recently pulled from the starting lineup, the Bulls remain committed to giving him every chance to figure things out.

“I do know that the goal is to have Patrick here for the long term,” Donovan said. “That I would say has been pretty consistent all the way through.

“Do I think Patrick needs a change of scenery? I didn’t think Lauri needed a change of scenery, that was my opinion. I’m not surprised what he evolved into. He kind of went to a couple different places. Sometimes when you go through that you look internally too where, ‘Geez, I’m in Chicago, I’m in Cleveland, now I’m in Utah, like I’ve got to figure some stuff out here.’ And I think Patrick is pretty driven on figuring things out.

“I’ve got nothing at all from him where he’s like, ‘Hey, I need a change of scenery.’ There’s been none of that. He’s really good in determining what he needs to do, instead of point around and saying, ‘I need this, I need that.’ When guys get like that it never goes well.”

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Williams reciprocates Chicago’s interest in a long-term relationship, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I love it. I love it here. I love the city, I love the team. I love what we’re about,” he said on Monday. “We’re about winning. There’s no gimmicks. There’s no moral victories over here. Obviously, I love it.” The former No. 4 pick, who didn’t sign a rookie scale extension this offseason, admits he’d like “a big contract” eventually but says that’s not his priority right now. “My main focus now is helping this team get over the next hump and myself over that hump,” Williams said.
Donovan and the Bulls recently mulled the idea of moving Alex Caruso into the starting five, but decided against it in part because they want to manage his minutes and keep him within the 26-to-28 minute range, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times.
Coby White hasn’t just claimed the Bulls’ starting point guard job by default this fall, Cowley says in another Sun-Times story. White has also shown that he’s capable of being an “on-the-court general who is not afraid to use his voice,” Cowley writes, pointing to the 23-year-old’s evolution into a vocal leader.
After placing 24th in offensive rating last season, the Bulls brought back a similar roster but hoped to improve that ranking by changing their offensive approach. As NBC Sports Chicago notes, the results have been underwhelming so far. Even after a 130-point outburst on Monday vs. Utah, Chicago is just 19th in offensive rating this season.

Central Notes: DeRozan, Bulls, Giannis, Allen, Garrett, Cavs

October 26th, 2023 at 12:31pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back Show (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of The Athletic said the Bulls made some “poignant remarks” during last night’s players-only meeting, expressing frustration about the stagnant offense and lack of passing in the team’s season-opening loss to Oklahoma City.

One point of contention was that Chicago’s players “feel like they need a true point guard,” Charania said. Lonzo Ball, unfortunately, will miss his second consecutive season following a third knee surgery. Coby White started during preseason and in the opener, but had an uneven game one. While he finished with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and zero turnovers, he shot just 4-of-14 from the field.

According to Charania, though the Bulls want to retain DeMar DeRozan, who is on an expiring $28.6MM contract, extension talks haven’t been fruitful thus far.

“They’ve been talking about an extension, but I’m told that the sides are apart right now on multiple fronts — years, salary,” Charania said. “And also, DeMar DeRozan wants to see where this Bulls team goes. They’re 0-1 to start the year. They had a players meeting after game one of the season, and so that’s not the way to start the year.”

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In an article that was published prior to the Bulls‘ season opener, center Nikola Vucevic, who was at the forefront of the players-only meeting, said he knows that unless the team makes a playoff run, management might break up the “Big Three” of Vucevic, DeRozan and Zach LaVine. “This is probably our last shot to make something happen, and we’re aware of that,” Vucevic said, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s on us to deliver.”
Why did Giannis Antetokounmpo decide to sign an extension with the Bucks now instead of waiting for more money next summer? As ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains (via Twitter), Antetokounmpo’s deal contains a player option for 2027/28, making him eligible for another short-term extension in 2026. That would allow the two-time MVP to sign a four-year extension in 2028, when he’ll be 33. He would not have been eligible for that same deal down the line had he waited for a more lucrative extension in 2024 due to the Over-38 rule.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen missed Wednesday’s season opener in Brooklyn as he’s still hampered with an ankle bone bruise. As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets, Allen went through individual drills with assistant coaches prior to the game and he continues to make progress while ramping up his activity.
Myles Garrett, a star defensive end for the NFL’s Browns, has purchased a minority stake in the Cavaliers and will serve as an “official brand ambassador” for the team, per Jake Trotter of ESPN. “As a leader on and off the field, Myles has become a Cleveland icon and shares in our organization’s commitment to being a transformative force for good across the region,” Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said in a statement. “We are honored to welcome this long-time friend of the team as our new partner and investor.”

Bulls Notes: White, Williams, Grades, Phillips, Preseason

October 21st, 2023 at 12:21pm CST by Tristan Tucker

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.”

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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.

Central Notes: LaVine, White, Ivey, Sasser, Pacers

October 16th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Bulls guard Zach LaVine is optimistic about his health heading into the season, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes. LaVine was being held out of several early back-to-backs last season, including the season opener against the Heat.

Outside of Lonzo Ball, this might be the healthiest the Bulls have been since Arturas Karnisovas assembled the core of the roster in 2021, Cowley writes. Now, LaVine and others are aiming for an improved season.

“I’m in shape; I’m not rehabbing, so you’re not second-guessing things,” LaVine said. “I feel like myself, like I did from December on. I had a full offseason. It’s always good to come into camp in shape and not have any extra ailments.”

LaVine averaged 26 points on 50.7% shooting after December 2 compared to 20.9 points on 40.9% shooting before that point last season, as Cowley notes.

Cowley also writes the Bulls are still experimenting with what works for them in head coach Billy Donovan‘s new-look offense, including potential lineups. All indications are Coby White won the starting point guard position over Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter, Cowley adds.

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Pistons coach Monty Williams faces several difficult decisions as the season draws near, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes. Edwards predicts the starting lineup to be Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, with Jaden Ivey notably coming off the bench. Edwards points out Ivey hasn’t started in the preseason yet and Thompson has impressed on the defensive end, which has been an emphasis for Detroit.
Rookie guard Marcus Sasser is pushing for a rotation spot with his play in the preseason, per Edwards and Omari Sankofa II of Detroit Free Press. Sasser had 17 points and eight assists in an October 12 preseason game against the Thunder. “He’s a guy that plays with a great edge,” Williams said. “He competes every single day, in practice. He understands with me that if you compete and defend, you’ll find yourself on the floor. That’s what you’re seeing with him.“
Pacers rookie Ben Sheppard is making an impact in the preseason and saw run with the second unit in the team’s Monday preseason game against the Hawks, Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar details. “Sheppard is playing a mature game for a rookie,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He is older. He did play four years [of college basketball at Belmont] and it shows. But he understands what we need of him. … He’s a little bit like Buddy [Hield]. He’s doing a lot of good things.” Dopirak also notes Jalen Smith and T.J. McConnell are standing out and pushing for rotation spots.

Bulls Notes: White, DeRozan, LaVine, Craig, Lewis

October 10th, 2023 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Coby White, who is battling for the starting point guard spot, has emerged as a vocal leader for the Bulls, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. He previously deferred to more experienced players but now feels comfortable voicing his opinion.

“Being a young guy, you fall into this thing of, ‘I’m young.’ Especially on a team full of guys are older who have won, been in the playoffs a bunch of times. AC [Alex Caruso] has been a champion. You get that mindset of, ‘They have more experience than me. They know more than me. My opinion doesn’t matter,’” he said. “I didn’t know how much guys respected my opinion—and my connection with every guy on the team—until last year. I’m continuing to grow into it. And it feels natural for me at this point.”

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Jamal Collier of ESPN hears from sources that the extension talks the front office has had with DeMar DeRozan have been “preliminary.” Bulls head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas confirmed at the start of training camp that he has spoken to DeRozan’s agent Aaron Goodwin about a new deal for his client. DeRozan will be an unrestricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign an extension.
In the same story, Zach LaVine says his reps aren’t behind the trade rumors that have persisted even after he signed an extension last year. “My camp isn’t putting them out,” LaVine said. “I committed to the Bulls when I signed my five-year deal. So until I’m not, I’m committed to the Bulls. I’ve always brought professionalism and consistent play, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
Patrick Williams started at power forward during the preseason opener, but newcomer Torrey Craig showed what he could bring to the table when he came off the bench, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. He made aggressive offensive moves to the basket and also relentlessly attacked the glass at both ends. “It’s a lot of different things you can do to impact winning. I always tell people that,” Craig said. “It’s a million things you can do to impact winning, whether it’s getting deflections, offensive rebounding, blocking shots, getting steals, making threes, making the hustle plays, 50-50 plays, being a good teammate on the bench, being a (good) locker room guy. … But I think it goes unnoticed because this league is based off talent and big-number guys.” Craig left Phoenix and signed a two-year contract as a free agent in July.
Justin Lewis is still trying to settle in after recovering from an ACL tear suffered in August 2022, he told Ben Steele of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I still feel like I need some game reps,” Lewis said. “I feel like I’m getting better day by day. Just learning everything. Plays, defensive strategy, offensive strategy. I feel like I’ll keep progressing as the season goes. As I keep playing.” Lewis, who was undrafted in 2022 out of Marquette, signed a two-year, two-way contract in March.

Bulls Notes: White, Williams, Caruso, Vucevic, Terry

October 9th, 2023 at 1:40pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has publicly stated that the starting point guard position is up for grabs between Coby White, Jevon Carter and Ayo Dosunmu. However, in the team’s preseason opener against Milwaukee on Sunday, White got the starting nod and played well, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

White finished with 14 points (on 6-of-10 shooting), six rebounds, six assists and two steals in 23 minutes, Johnson notes. The seventh pick of the 2019 draft, White re-signed with the Bulls this summer as a restricted free agent, inking a three-year, $36MM+ deal.

As Johnson writes in another story for NBC Sports Chicago, White once again focused on ball-handling and decision-making this summer as he transitions from being a score-first combo guard to a lead guard, and Donovan has taken note of the improvement.

“I noticed this summer when I went out in June to see him. He physically looked different. The ball looked to be a little bit more on a string for him,” Donovan said after the game. “I think his confidence with the ball has really grown.”

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Forward Patrick Williams was the fifth starter alongside White, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, Johnson adds. Williams, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension until October 23, was aggressive in looking for his shot, finishing with 13 points in 22 minutes, including going 3-of-6 from deep. Being consistently assertive is something the Bulls want to see from Williams, as is improving his rebounding; he only finished with two in the game, Johnson notes.
Donovan plans to be cautious with Alex Caruso in 2023/24, particularly in the preseason, due to his all-out playing style, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The veteran swingman has been limited to 108 regular season games over his first two seasons with the Bulls. Caruso, who earned a first-team All-Defense nod in ’22/23, played just seven minutes against the Bucks.
Despite having three offense-first All-Stars, the Bulls struggled to score last season, finishing 24th in offensive rating. One change they want to implement is running more actions through Vucevic to take advantage of his passing, according to Cowley. “The way our team is built, we need a change,” Vucevic said. “I think at times last year we got a little too predictable the way we were playing, and we became easy to guard. I think if we can throw different things at a defense, we’ll be tough to stop.”
Dalen Terry didn’t play much as a rookie, appearing in 38 games for an average of 5.6 minutes per night. That’s part of the reason why he was trying so hard and became frustrated with his poor Summer League showing, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times. While he might be on the outside looking in for minutes again entering year two, Terry says he’s going to trust his work ethic no matter what happens. “Last year, I was killing myself when it came down to [not getting playing time], but I didn’t trust my work,” he said. “If I have to be honest, I didn’t trust my work. When this season starts, and if I’m not in the rotation, OK, cool. Just keep going, keep working. It’s going to all turn out how you want it to turn out. That’s just how it’s gonna go.”

Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, Williams, Craig, Donovan

October 5th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

In an interview with K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu said he’s embracing the opportunity he has in training camp after an uneven second season. With Lonzo Ball still injured, there’s an open competition for the starting point guard role that also involves Jevon Carter and Coby White. The team invested in all three players this summer, re-signing Dosunmu and White while adding Carter in free agency.

“Ultimately, I think that competition is going to help our team in the long run,” Dosunmu said. “We go at each other and try to kill each other in practice. When we’re on the court together, it’s going to make our team much more smooth. Me going into my third year and our core group being together pretty much the same time, it’s getting time for us to turn the corner.”

After falling to the second round in the 2021 draft, Dosunmu became a contributor right away in his first season, starting 40 of the 77 games he played and earning second-team All-Rookie honors. With only a two-year contract, he got to test the market earlier than most players and decided that staying in Chicago was his best move.

“I came into free agency with an open mind that I could be playing anywhere,” Dosunmu said. “Put my feelings aside and basically try to secure what’s best for me and my game and my family for the future. Ultimately with praying, leaving it up to God, that was my path, to sign back with the Bulls.”

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Coach Billy Donovan said Patrick Williams will play an integral role this season, but the specifics are still being defined, Johnson adds in another story. Williams worked with the starters on the first day of training camp, but Donovan used Torrey Craig with that unit on Wednesday and plans to give Alex Caruso some time at power forward as well. “I think every player wants to start,” Williams said. “But I want to come in and play my game, however that plays out with the coaching staff. Part of being on a team is you have to trust the people you’re on a team with. You have to trust the plan they have for you. You might have to sacrifice.”
Craig believes he can provide something the Bulls have been lacking, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “A little bit of toughness,” he said, “a little bit of an edge for guys with raw emotion to say how they feel and wear those emotions on their sleeve.’’ Cowley notes that Patrick Beverley provided those same qualities when he signed with Chicago in February, but he left for Philadelphia during the offseason.
The Bulls’ added depth has Donovan contemplating a 10-man rotation, Cowley states in a separate story. Donovan may need the team to get off to a fast start, as oddsmakers have him listed as a 4-1 favorite as the first coach to be fired this season, according to the Sun-Times.

Central Notes: Payne, Harris, Hayes, Wiseman, Williams, White, Carter

October 1st, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The addition of Cameron Payne gives the Bucks a more complete roster, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. New coach Adrian Griffin doesn’t have to get create with the backup point guard spot behind Damian Lillard, as Payne projects to fill that role ably.

The Bucks have other point guard options on two-way contracts in TyTy Washington and Lindell Wigginton, but their 15-man roster hadn’t included a backup point guard in recent months.

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Uncovering how Monty Williams plans to utilize Joe Harris and whether Killian Hayes and James Wiseman — lottery picks not signed beyond this season — can establish roles are a couple of the training camp questions looming for the Pistons, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes.
It seems as if every season is pivotal for Bulls forward Patrick Williams and this one is no different, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times opines. Williams played in every game in 2022/23 and has shown he can be a difference-maker defensively. He also shot 41.5% from 3-point range last season. However, his overall offensive contributions and rebounding are still not up to par, Cowley writes.
The battle between Coby White and newcomer Jevon Carter for minutes at the point is just one of the training camp questions looming for the Bulls, Cowley writes in a separate story. Torrey Craig could also push Williams for minutes, given his superior rebounding numbers.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago concurs that the Bulls‘ starting jobs at point guard and power forward are up for grabs with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević the only surefire starters.

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Starting Point Guard, Terry

September 27th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked by Mark Medina of Sportskeeda about the belief in some corners of the Bulls fanbase that the team should embrace a rebuild, veteran forward DeMar DeRozan pushed back against the idea that such a reset is necessary.

“I think a lot of people who say that or suggest that really don’t understand basketball at all, in my opinion,” DeRozan said. “You can think that’s an answer or that’s a route. But there’s no telling how long that route is going to even last. That route doesn’t necessarily always work in a timely fashion that you may think it will take. With that, it’s hard to find and create talented players like the players that we already have assembled.

“We made a lot of mistakes,” DeRozan continued. “It’s not only on the players, but the coaching staff as well to be able to correct the mistakes that we have because we weren’t far off at all with the mistakes that we’ve had. If we correct those, give us back the 10 to 15 games that we should’ve had last season. That changes the whole dynamic of everything.

“It’s always easy when something goes bad just to say, ‘Scratch it.’ But you really don’t know where you’ll end up from there. So when I hear people say that, it lets me know and understand that they don’t understand basketball at all.”

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In that same interview with Medina, DeRozan expressed interest in representing Team USA in the 2024 Olympics and said he’d be interested in signing a contract extension to remain in Chicago. “That’s a place I want to be and end my career,” the six-time All-Star said. “I want to be able to accomplish everything I’ve set out to accomplish. That’s all I can worry about and control. I have the utmost confidence in myself. I’ll let my agent and the organization deal with that side of things, to be honest, man. From their standpoint, they want me to be there long-term and vice versa. We’ll see what happens from there.”
Appearing on The Score (WSCR-AM 670) in Chicago on Wednesday, Bulls president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said the the team’s starting point guard job is expected to be up for grabs in training camp, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I think it’s going to be competition, fierce competition. It’s going to be a lot of good guards,” Karnisovas said. “That’s mentality we’re going into training camp (with.) I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be hard for Billy (Donovan).” The Bulls added Jevon Carter this offseason to join Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Alex Caruso in the mix at point guard.
In a separate story for NBC Sports Chicago, Johnson explores how Milwaukee’s impending acquisition of Damian Lillard will impact the Bulls.
After appearing in just 38 games and averaging only 5.6 minutes per night as a rookie, 2022 first-rounder Dalen Terry worked hard this summer in the hopes of getting the opportunity to earn a bigger role in his second NBA season, he tells Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “You know me, I’ve always got confidence,” Terry said. “That’s not something I ever lack. But I think confidence comes with work, and I know how hard I busted my ass this whole summer.”

Central Notes: Portis, Pistons, White, Carter

August 27th, 2023 at 1:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bucks reserve big man Bobby Portis recently spoke about his experience playing on the FIBA World Cup roster for Team USA, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops writes.

Portis reflected on how this year’s iteration of Team USA hopes to improve on its 2019 predecessor’s No. 7 finish in the most recent World Cup.

“This is a totally different team, not one guy who played in that FIBA World Cup team is on this team and we are just trying to re-identify ourselves, play for each other, play for the name in front of the jersey and that’s the biggest things in those tournaments,” Portis said.

Portis went on to acknowledge that he has something of an international following, especially from the fans of Team USA’s next scheduled opponent, Team Greece, thanks to his Milwaukee comrades Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thanasis Antetokounmpo.

“Giannis and Thanasis are like my brothers and, during the season, I go through my social media and I see tons of fans from Greece, tagging me in photos, DMing me, so it’s pretty cool to see fans from all over the world being fans of myself,” Portis said.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

After several lottery-bound seasons, the Pistons are hoping to take a leap with a talented young roster. Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press identifies five Detroit players who – to his mind – have the most to prove in 2023/24, including 2021 No. 1 draft pick Cade Cunningham, who missed most of last season due to an injury; recently re-signed big man Isaiah Stewart; and former top-10 selections Killian Hayes and James Wiseman.
With Coby White now re-signed to a lucrative, multi-year contract, and 3-and-D Chicago native Jevon Carter also in the fold, the Bulls will have a major positional battle for their starting point guard role when training camp tips off, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley notes that White may have a bit of an edge thanks to his built-in chemistry with his teammates, most notably another re-signed Bull, center Nikola Vucevic, in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop actions.
In case you missed it, Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball expressed his belief that he will, at some point, return to the hardwood. Ball has been sidelined since January 2022 with a knee injury, and three surgeries later, he has already been ruled out for the entirety of the 2023/24 season.

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