What we learned from Billy Donovan, Arturas Karnisovas and more on Chicago Bulls media day
CHICAGO - The Chicago Bulls 2024-2025 season is about to get underway.
On Monday, the Bulls training camp roster took to the Advocate Center for photos and more. Among the day's plans, Bulls players, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas spoke to the media.
Here's what we learned from the day.
The Bulls' are still working on their long-term future
Karnisovas was clear on draft night the Bulls' future is going to be a project.
Welcome: Matas Buzelis, Jalen Smith and Josh Giddey
Goodbye: DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso
But, don't think the Bulls are done. They still have so much more to figure out.
"This isn't a finished product," Karnisovas said. "This evolution is fluid, and we're focused on building a team that plays faster and is more versatile."
Karnisovas was clear, though: the Bulls are still aiming to win.
They're not in a full rebuild where winning games is not a true expectation. Karnisovas noted the Bulls are not where they want to be, but that isn't something that Karnisovas sees as a reason the team should be okay with losing.
"We're going to be learning a lot about how these pieces fit together," Karnisovas said. "We're here to win."
Winning will be contingent on how players like Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Patrick Williams integrate themselves back from injury and into the rotations.
One questionable aspect of the Bulls' future is LaVine, who has been in every single Bulls' trade rumor since late 2023. That's a more complicated answer.
Whatever Zach LaVine's future is, he's a part of the Bulls' future
The health status of Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams is a big question mark heading into this season.
Williams is working his way back from foot surgery, Ball said the plan is to be ready for the Bulls' season opener and LaVine said he's fully healthy, too.
However, LaVine's status with the team is still in question as he was floated as a potential trade candidate during both last season and this past offseason. LaVine put some of those questions to rest with an opening statement that assured any communication about his desires and future will come from him.
Zach also said he'll respect the commitment Jerry Reinsdorf, Michael Reinsdorf and Karnisovas gave him when he signed his max contract with the team.
"I'm going to continue to give them my respect," LaVine said. "That's something I stand on."
If LaVine is or is not a Bull come 2025 remains to be seen. However, as long as he's in a Bulls uniform he'll play with the Bulls' best interests at hand.
"Whenever I’m able to put on a Chicago Bulls jersey, I take pride in that," LaVine said. "I have since I was first traded here eight years ago. That’s first and foremost."
Karnisovas noted LaVine's health on Monday. LaVine had surgery in March 2024 to repair a Jones fracture and said he had an extended offseason.
During that offseason, he focused on his health and his game. Karnisovas said that's shown.
"He's never been in a position to be as healthy as he is right now," Karnisovas said. "I expect him to be ready to contribute to his team."
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The 2024-2025 Bulls know what they want to be
The Bulls' long-term roster may be fluid, but the team knows what it wants to be.
Donvan and Karnisovas talked about the kind of basketball they want to play.
"Our emphasis is on playing a fast-paced, tough and energetic style," Karnisovas said.
Giddey, acquired in a trade with the Thunder for Caruso, will figure to be a key factor in that offensive style.
"We want to play up-tempo," Giddey said. "We started scrimmaging with 14-second shot clocks to emphasize the pace we want to play."
Giddey is fresh off a productive time at the 2024 Summer Games where he competed with Australia. During the Games, Giddey suffered a foot injury that he's currently nursing but he expects to be ready for opening night.
That's good, because the Bulls have plenty to figure out line up-wise.
Donovan was open about the duality of player development and constructing lineups. One idea floated was playing Giddey, Coby White and LaVine at the same time. Donovan doesn't see an issue with it.
"I’m not opposed to playing three guards at all," Donovan said.
The Bulls will be figuring out rotations and lineups in preseason, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the team continue tinkering with lineups throughout the start of the regular season.
It's all in an effort to see what works.
"Once it becomes a habit, this team’s going to be pretty scary in the open court," Giddey said.