Zach LaVine said he wanted to honor Billy Donovan’s first win as Bulls coach by presenting him with the match ball, which Donovan immediately handed over to Artūras Karnišovas.
In some ways, Donovan’s move can be considered symbolic. Because at least early in the season there is an intriguing dynamic game for the Bulls.
Not it Karnišovas is a rookie manager. But he is in his first season in his new role as general manager of a franchise and hires the experienced and veteran Donovan in one of his first major moves.
And Donovan started the whole young core, including rookie Patrick Williams at the small forward. The Bulls’ coach then drives a reserve unit with veterans.
If it works, as it did beautifully during Tuesday’s 115-107 thinning of the Wizards, it could serve the dual purposes of development and win that could be a blessing for the Bulls.
“I think it’s a really good mix to be honest with you,” veteran wing Tomas Satoransky said. ‘In Garrett (Temple) we have another veteran who knows how to play. OP (Otto Porter Jr.) coming off the bench gives you a lot of shooting and also knowledge of how to play.
“It’s clear we have so much talent in that starting lineup. But they sometimes have problems in moments of the game. They were not in many winning teams. And they are still very young. I think it’s our responsibility to give an example of how to play the right way and help those guys when they’re struggling in the difficult moments. ”
The Bulls are not going to put four starters and three reserves in double figures every time. They are also not going to register 26 assistants on 38 field goals all the time, an example of the ball and player movement that Karnisovas and Donovan desire.
But with Satoransky, Temple and Porter combining 38 points and nine assistants, the second unit looks more comfortable with each game succeeding. And it’s even with Thad Young who has yet to play, though he’s available now after struggling with a lower leg infection.
Satoransky in particular looks energetic. He scored ten points and six assists in just 20 minutes.
“I think I always like the offense that allows you to cut the ball, run and move,” he said. ‘We often play through our big men when we have to screen for each other. I think it does not make the offense stagnant. We always try to move from side to side. I think it gives us much better options.
“It usually takes time for young teams, especially with a short pre-season, to get more comfortable in an offense. But I think we showed it tonight. We were aggressive. Coby (White) made some very good passes as he drove. I think that was a good advantage from this game. And personally, I feel better every game. I worked hard this summer. I obviously had a small setback with the self-quarantine. But I take it from game to game and I felt really good (Tuesday). ”
That’s the thing. Satoransky has missed the last three preseason games due to his close exposure to Noah Vonleh, who tested positive for COVID-19. Temple, who scored 12 points, got his own slow start because he tested positive for COVID-19 when training camp began.
The potential for this second unit is therefore great as it interacts more. For now, it only uses veteran fraud.
“They are smart players. They are experienced players. “I think they give the group some confidence and faith,” Donovan said. ‘We slowly tried in the pre-season to just work Otto up more and more minutes. I still think we should be smart with his minutes. I think on a constant basis it would not be good to extend him in the mid to high 30s. Garrett, I think I’m coming back from the COVID, is slowly getting his legs under him.
‘But they played against a lot of the guys in the league. They know the league very well. They know staff. They’re really good, and they help a guy like Patrick talk to him about certain things or what might be ready to happen or what’s coming. I think they’re trying to help Wendell, Lauri, all the guys, even Coby. They were overall benefits. ”
Porter, who willingly accepted his reserve role behind a rookie, scored 16 points in 29 minutes. He scored double figures in all four games.
Porter, Satoransky and Temple usually play with Lauri Markkanen in the middle and one other wing or guard — Chandler Hutchison or White or Zach LaVine. Young could join this group, especially if Markkanen is sidelined by the calf injury which he exacerbates again in the win.
Porter, who played with Temple of the Wizards with Temple, knows what the veteran who represented Karnisovas’ long free agency could bring.
‘He knows how to play the game as it is supposed to play. He brings energy, especially defensively, “said Porter. ‘Veteran. He is very outspoken, talks to the younger point guards and only talks to the team about what he sees out there and just a leader. ‘
To make the night even crazier was the fact that Porter, Temple and Satoransky all played for the Wizards, and the Bulls eventually broke through in Washington.
‘W“If you have a group there that knows how to play, even if we have a new offense, you can see the high IQ,” LaVine said of the veteran-laden group. “You know when to cut. You know when to shoot. You know where to. To come back at the right time.
‘So I feel that sometimes we need to settle down because we currently have a good mix of young and vet guys. I like playing that group. I think we’re just going to keep getting better. ”