Over the final 26 games of the regular season, Chicago Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan will surely experiment with various rotations. With Zach LaVine already sent packing and Patrick Williams on the mend, Donovan's possibilities seem endless. Swapping LaVine for three roles players also plays a large part in Donovan's lineup flexibility.
Prior to Williams' injury announcement, Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson discussed Donovan's intention to explore the forward pairing of Williams and rookie Matas Buzelis. Although the early results had been substandard (-12.3 net rating in 182 minutes together), Chicago's need for size and length is apparent—something Donovan is well aware of. Thus, it's in the Bulls' best interest to discover a forward pairing of the future. This pairing is especially interesting because Williams is only 23, while Buzelis is 20.
However, a day after Johnson spoke of Donovan's scheme to suit up both forwards alongside one another, it was reported that Williams would miss at least two weeks, or eight games, after receiving platelet-rich plasma injections to treat tendinosis in his right knee.
Julian Phillips impressed against the Knicks
With Williams out of the rotation, Donovan turned to 21-year-old forward Julian Phillips as his replacement. The decision to turn to Phillips isn't all that surprising. The 6-foot-7 Williams had been out of the starting since January 27. And, as the season progressed, Donovan inserted the rookie Buzelis into the starting unit. Donovan only needed another reserve to take the place of Williams.
As a result of Buzelis's expanded role, Phillips' minutes dwindled. Nevertheless, the former Tennessee Volunteer still saw limited action in recent outings. In Chicago's first game following Williams' injury diagnosis, Phillips played 23 minutes, his most in over two months. In return, the lanky forward scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. Most importantly, he recorded a team-high plus-7.
Phillips knocked down 3-of-5 field goal attempts, including 2-of-3 from downtown. His lone two-pointer was an athletic, two-handed jam fed from a Zach Collins assist. Phillips also converted all four of his free throw attempts. 12 points, six rebounds, and four free throw makes were season and career-highs for the young forward.
While his performance against the Knicks marked career bests across the board, nothing seemed out of the ordinary for the second-year pro. Phillips played with a heightened sense of poise and let the game come to him. Both three-pointers looked in rhythm and comfortable. Furthermore, his dunk came off a well-timed cut when he noticed his defender moved into a help position to deter Collins from an open three-point attempt.
Buzelis and Phillips is Chicago's forward pairing of the future
One solid performance is not an indicator that Phillips should be a fixture in Chicago's future plans. He's a career 3.4 point per game scorer and 33.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc. But, amid a five-game losing streak with 26 games remaining, the Bulls have nothing to lose. Trotting out a 6-foot-8, lanky wing with an elite athletic profile doesn't involve much risk. Phillips possesses a 6-foot-11 wingspan and led his draft class in standing and max vertical. He's a picturesque wing.
A Buzelis-Phillips forward pairing is the most intriguing of them all. Both players are elite athletes with better three-point shots than their percentages suggest. In addition, the forwards are strong rebounders who have the potential to be playmakers on the defensive end. Buzelis averages 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes, while Phillips records 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks per 36.
There are sure to be growing pains trotting out two players 21 years old and younger alongside one another. Defensive lapses and shooting slumps will be all too common. Nevertheless, Buzelis and Phillips give Chicago the most hope. As referenced at the beginning of the article, Donovan prefers exploring a Buzelis-Williams pairing. This is largely because Williams is slated to earn $72 over the next four seasons. He's a non-negotiable when assessing the Bulls' future rotations.
Still, Williams has already been sent to the bench thus, his spot in the rotation is up for grabs. While Lonzo Ball has played progressively better as the season has worn on, he's 27- years old and likely not in the Bulls' plans beyond 2026. With recent first-rounder Dalen Terry out of the rotation, Phillips is firmly the next-best option after Buzelis.
The need to increase Phillips' minutes as the season comes to a close is even more evident, accounting for the Bulls' future at center. Chicago rosters 34-year-old Nikola Vucevic, who has been commonly named as a trade candidate for the better part of two seasons. Even if the Bulls decide to retain Vooch, a center is a worthwhile selection in June's draft.
Phillips has briefly shown why he deserves a permanent spot in the rotation. The rest of the season will play a part in discerning whether he's a future starter next to Buzelis.
