The Chicago Bulls pretty much know how their starting lineup will shake out ahead of the 2025-2026 season. Matas Buzelis will be the focal point. The only uncertainty is whether the three veterans of Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Nikola Vucevic will be present or traded at some point between now and October. Point guard Josh Giddey will be there through a new contract extension or by accepting a one-year qualifying offer. The big issue is what the Bulls will do with their roster depth.
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Tre Jones, Isaac Okoro, Patrick Williams, and Zach Collins are no-brainers. After that, it starts getting murky. One thing is certain. Calls are growing louder for the Bulls to give one prominent Summer League name a chance: Yuki Kawamura. Over the past week, the young point guard has drawn tons of praise for his work. He had 6 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals in 24 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks. Two days prior against Indiana, he had 15 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals in 28 minutes. The kid is balling and his teammates are noticing too.
The Chicago Bulls face the same question with Kawamura as others.
Can they look past his size? The ball skills are undeniable. He can play. The key issue is he’s 5’8. That makes him the shortest player in the league. Players of that size just don’t inhabit the game in America. Size is crucial, even at point guard. Anybody below 6’0 gets immediate scrutiny. Of course, NBA history is filled with even shorter players than Nakamura who had success like Isaiah Thomas (5’9), Spud Webb (5’7), and Muggsy Bogues (5’3). The key difference is that they were all elite athletes. Kawamura is a good athlete but not quite as explosive.
His passing and defense do make him valuable as a two-way reserve. He’s done enough to earn an opportunity. It comes down to whether the Chicago Bulls are willing to give him one. Memphis did last year. He averaged 13 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds per 36 minutes. He’s not a novelty act.
