Preseason basketball can often be an enlightening and informative time for NBA fans. It’s a time where teams still aren’t overly concerned with winning, but are trotting out their starters and rotation regulars—in most cases. Despite the games not necessarily ‘counting’, we can still draw key takeaways and insights. For rebuilding teams, the preseason presents a great opportunity to give their youngsters excessive time to adjust to the physicality and speed of NBA action. For more established teams, it’s a good opportunity for coaches to tinker and experiment with different lineup combinations.
The NBA preseason is pure unfiltered excitement because nearly every player and every team is trying out something new. The preseason gives both players and coaches the ability to try to implement some of the things they’ve been working on during the offseason. Some players are experimenting with putting on added muscle mass. Some players are experimenting with becoming higher-volume three-point shooters. And some players are experimenting with playing different positions entirely. Below is a list of three preseason developments to specifically keep tabs on in regards to the Chicago Bulls.
3 Things to Keep an Eye on During the Bulls’ Preseason
The Health of Lonzo Ball
Despite Lonzo Ball sitting out the Bulls’ preseason opener against the Cavaliers, he is due to make his long awaited return to the court at some point during the preseason. Following three successive knee surgeries, Ball is apparently ready to retake the court. And for Bulls fans who still remember back in early 2022 when the team jumped out to a 22-13 record under the guidance and playmaking of a healthy Ball, his imminent return has to be exciting.
Now, of course Bulls fans would be wise to not get their hopes up about Ball. It’s overwhelmingly rare that a player makes a full return to form following an injury absence comparable to the one Ball just went through. But with that being said, a return of any kind is an exciting prospect. Not just for the Bulls organization, but for the NBA as a whole. The former number two overall pick was once one of the more electric and dynamic playmakers in the league, and his potential return to the court is something the whole league should be eagerly anticipating.
Chemistry Between Josh Giddey and Coby White
With the offseason addition of Josh Giddey, the Bulls now have a relatively young backcourt, with an intriguing amount of potential. The Bulls’ fortunes, both in the present and the future, may be inextricably tied to the ability of Giddey and Coby White to build a flourishing on-court relationship. The budding chemistry between the two young guards is certainly something worth monitoring during the preseason. On paper, the fit makes perfect sense. Giddey and White both have solid positional size, standing at six-foot-eight and six-foot-five respectively. Giddey is a distributor first and scorer second, while White is pure-bred bucket-getter. All that being said, the game isn’t played on paper of course, so on-court preseason reps will go a long way in revealing whether this backcourt fits in actuality.
Through one preseason game, the chemistry between the guard pairing looks promising. During the 116-112 win over the Cavaliers, Giddey and White both had their moments. For his part, Giddey looked dynamic during his 22 minutes, showing off his versatility with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. White led the Bulls in scoring with 21 points in just 25 minutes. In all likelihood, excelling on the offensive end will be the least of this duo’s concerns, while the defensive learning curve may prove a bit more drawn out. Thus far during their careers, neither Giddey nor White has established a reputation as a stout defender. As a result, both players will have to learn how to scheme and adjust to accommodate for their accumulative defensive shortcomings.
The Development of Matas Buzelis
Matas Buzelis may very well be the Bulls’ most prized prospect, so his development is obviously something to keep an eye on during the preseason. Buzelis’ elite athleticism and multifaceted offensive game give him a ceiling no other Bulls player can quite reach. It won’t always be pretty, Buzelis will undoubtedly have his fair share of air balls and ugly turnovers during the early portion of his career, but if the Bulls are able to stomach his inevitable mistakes, their reward could be immense. Inconsistency is an inevitability, but so far through one preseason game, Buzelis already looks like a future star.
During Buzelis’ first preseason outing, he managed 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. To understand the true versatility of Buzelis’ game however, you have to look beyond just the raw numbers. Buzelis, who’s likely to do an immense amount of damage during transition, is one of those uniquely gifted players who’s capable of leading and finishing a fast break. Standing at six-foot-10, Buzelis has smooth guard skills, and a deep scoring bag. Through just 21 minutes of preseason action, Buzelis has already displayed an ability to hit long range floaters, attack the basket, and pivot into turnaround jumpers.
It’s worth noting that Buzelis was 0-2 from distance during the win over the Cavs. And given his less-than-ideal recent shooting splits—22.2% from deep with G-League Ignite, and 21.4% from beyond the arc during Summer League—that continued development is definitely something worth monitoring. With solid form and mechanics, Buzelis should prove to be a reliable three-level scorer in time. Disastrous three-point shooting aside, Buzelis is going to be a joyous and fascinating watch throughout the Bulls’ preseason.
