The Bulls’ coaching search remains a slow burn, at least until all the candidates are done with their playoff runs and can get in for an interview.
Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant were the two latest known candidates to meet with the Bulls’ ever-expanding front office and make their case to replace Billy Donovan, but Thunder assistant Dave Bliss remains on the docket. (Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney is closing in on a deal to coach the Magic.)
Besides, new executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham has more balls in the air than just a coaching search. He diligently has been gathering intel about his roster, talking with coaches still on the payroll and anyone else around the league who has an opinion about what he is working with from a talent standpoint.
And while there are question marks throughout, no position is as blurry as forward.
Can Patrick Williams ever get unlocked? Can Noa Essengue hold up physically in Year 2? Was Leonard Miller a find or just in the right place at the right time on a bad team? What can Matas Buzelis actually become?
It’s the last question that carries the most weight because the reality for Graham is that while he can take the clean-slate approach, he still needs some sort of foundation to build on, and Buzelis might be the closest player the Bulls have to that.
In his second season, Buzelis continued his progress toward All-Star-caliber numbers, averaging 19 points and 1.6 blocks in the second half of the season and joining the select 150/100 club (150 three-pointers made and 100 blocks in a season) that also features Dirk Nowitzki, Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Durant, Brook Lopez and Myles Turner.
Even more impressive about Buzelis is his attitude. He has been unhappy with all the losing the Bulls have done in his two seasons, putting it on himself and taking it personally. Those are seemingly good traits in terms of what Graham is looking for in his players.
‘‘I want to win and win as many games as we possibly can,’’ Buzelis said last month. ‘‘We’re struggling, obviously, but it can’t rain forever. The sun has to shine. I believe that whatever [the Bulls] do in the summer, I’ll be ready. I don’t care whatever 10 or 15 guys we have. I believe if you bring unity to those 10 or 15 guys, you can win anything. If you’re all on the same page, you can achieve anything.
‘‘Your time in the NBA is so limited. You want to make something of yourself. You want your team to make something of itself.’’
Can Buzelis make that happen? His third season might provide that answer.
Forwards breakdown
WHOM THE BULLS HAVE: Buzelis, Essengue, Miller, Williams, Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, Guerschon Yabusele, Mouhamadou Gueye.
WHO MIGHT BE ON THE MOVE: The Bulls have $2.4 million team options on Miller and Gueye, and Miller played well enough to have his option picked up and get a serious look as a rotation player.
Buzelis and Essengue are on rookie deals, so they aren’t going anywhere. Then there’s Williams and his unmovable contract, which has two years and
$36 million left, plus an $18 million option for the 2028-29 season.
After that, no one is guaranteed to
return. Okoro has one year left on his deal and would be a defensive finishing piece on a playoff team, and Smith has $9.4 million left on an expiring deal and would be an ideal acquisition for some stretch help. Yabusele will be elsewhere.
THE DRAFT: The way it mocks out right now, the Bulls could add a foundation piece in Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson at power forward with the No. 4 pick. That would move Buzelis to small forward, his more natural position.
Don’t be shocked if they add two forwards. They also have the No. 15 pick, and Karim Lopez or Nate Ament might be available.
FREE AGENCY: Graham’s no-shortcut approach carries a lot of weight in what the Bulls will do with all their salary-cap money, meaning it won’t be spent unwisely. A name to keep an eye on is restricted free agent Tari Eason, but that would play out only if something unforeseen happens with the No. 4 pick.
WILD-CARD PREDICTION: After landing Wilson with the No. 4 pick and finding no takers on a trade for Williams, Graham will send Okoro to the Lakers for a package that includes future draft assets.