The plan is to get Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis playing time this week, and considering Monday night’s meeting with the Jazz was the start of four games in six nights, it seems doable.
Unless it’s not.
That’s why Bulls coach Billy Donovan isn’t ruling out sending Buzelis back down to the G League Windy City Bulls, who open their season Friday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After being held out as a coach’s decision for the first time last Friday in Brooklyn, Buzelis joined the Windy City Bulls for a scrimmage last weekend to get some minutes.
“[We’ll send him back] if it gets to that point,” Donovan said. “I’m trying to get him in there [in NBA games] and get him experience, put him in situations where he can be successful. I’m not at a place with him where I’m like, ‘Listen, we’re just not going to play him.’ I don’t feel that way.”
Buzelis came off the bench against the Jazz on Monday, finishing with just one rebound in a little more than four minutes in a 135-126 loss. The real test would be back-to-back games Wednesday against the Mavericks in Dallas and Thursday against the Timberwolves at home. Both are Western Conference powerhouses with front lines that would challenge Buzelis.
Donovan said minutes with the big team, as few as they have been — Buzelis was averaging 5.6 through the first five games — are more beneficial simply because of the level of competition.
“Just getting out and playing, even though it’s been limited, I still think it’s valuable to him,” Donovan said. “The other thing about Matas is I think putting him out there with some veteran guys helps. He’s gaining some experience while he’s playing. If it was a situation where he was getting [held out] game after game, it would probably make sense [to send him to the G League].
“The totality of his development, I would say, is certainly being with us and trying to get minutes, and then also utilizing the G League as well, where he would go back and forth some. That’s going to happen.”
Tight situation for scratched LaVine
Guard Zach LaVine attempted to go through the Bulls’ shootaround Monday morning but was by restricted by tightness in his injured right adductor. He was a scratch against the Jazz — his first missed game of the season.
LaVine, who missed significant time last season because of injuries that also hampered any plans to trade him, had been leading the team in scoring with 22.7 points per game while averaging 5.5 rebounds and shooting 45.8% from three-point range. The hope was the injury was just a speed bump.
“He’s not out indefinitely,” Donovan said. “They wanted to make sure that it didn’t turn into something more significant, so I don’t think there’s a problem there, other than he has some significant tightness there. I think him running and sprinting is when he feels it.”
Growth chart
Guard Ayo Dosunmu agreed with Donovan that a rough second season with the Bulls in 2022-23 after a stellar rookie season was a blessing in disguise.
“I had to have those tough conversations with myself,” said Dosunmu, the former Illini now in his fourth season. “I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you I know ways to get better, ways to always get better. They invested in me, and that’s a blessing, but at the same time I’m a competitor and want to continue to grow. That’s why I have that chip on my shoulder. It’s about continuing to help this team win.”