Bulls guard Kevin Huerter is hoping Chicago is home.
Maybe not for the long term and maybe not even beyond the one year he has left on his contract after this season, but he wants some more time to continue enjoying a team chemistry he hasn’t had for some time.
He thought home would be in Atlanta, but the Hawks traded him. Then Sacramento had a good feel to it, but the Kings traded him. With the Bulls, however, he not only has found new life but a starting job.
The starting unit of Huerter, Coby White, Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Nikola Vucevic came together late in the season and helped solidify a revolving door of lineups coach Billy Donovan had been playing with.
‘‘I think we’re interchangeable offensively [and] defensively,’’ Huerter said when he was asked Wednesday why the group worked. ‘‘I think we can switch across the board, one through five. Offensively, our guys can pass, shoot, dribble, make decisions, make plays, go score if we need someone to. Guys play unselfish, play off each other really well. We can get up and down the court. . . . It’s a lot of different things. I think we’ve trusted each other, and you can see that.’’
Plus, Huerter trusts the organization. That’s big for him, considering his journey the last few seasons.
He was asked whether finding new life with the Bulls was a bit of a message to the Kings and Hawks and admitted that might have been the case a couple of months ago.
‘‘It’s not something I think about too much,’’ Huerter said. ‘‘It might have been something when I first got here, trying to prove myself again. At this point, it’s not something on my mind.”
What is on his mind is putting down some roots, especially with a core that mostly might return and gets along as well as this one does.
‘‘I’ve said this before: It feels like a younger locker room,’’ Huerter said. ‘‘You talk about Matas and his personality, just the way he can kind of pull guys together. He’s continuously talking. I had to remind myself that Patrick Williams is 23 and Josh is 22, so it feels like a young locker room. Guys are kind of goofy.’’
Asked whether he feels old at 26, Huerter laughed and said: ‘‘Not old but a proper vet, both me and [center] Zach [Collins]. [Vucevic] probably feels like he’s at a different point than all we are. Guys are kind of goofy and having fun, and it’s good. It’s a good atmosphere.’’
What might have been
Lonzo Ball (right wrist) would have been questionable at best and Tre Jones (sprained foot) would have been doubtful if the Bulls could have advanced beyond the play-in tournament. Both ended up being key injuries that took a toll on the Bulls’ backcourt.
Donovan said Ball spent the early part of this week getting back on the court. He still had some pain in the wrist, but it had improved. If Ball could have continued to progress, he might have had a chance to play in a first-round playoff series.
The news wasn’t as optimistic for Jones, who was out of his walking boot but still was feeling pain on certain movements.
Jones might have played his last game for the Bulls. He is one of their few free agents this summer.
The Rook
Buzelis had some miscues on defense against the Heat, but he wasn’t afraid of the moment on the offensive end. His teammates didn’t think he would be.
‘‘Matas is a pretty confident guy,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘He puts in the work [and] knows what it takes. This season has been great for him to go through the ups and downs.’’