DeMar DeRozan's departure to the Sacramento Kings this summer signified substantial change within the Chicago Bulls organization. After three unsuccessful seasons of tweaking the same core of players, including DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic, Arturas Karnisovas vowed to redirect the franchise. First, he sent Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for 22-year-old Josh Giddey, followed by the sign-and-trade of DeRozan for a few miscellaneous roster pieces and draft considerations. LaVine was thought to follow suit and head out of town, but he's still on the roster and, according to head coach Billy Donovan, is primed for a stellar season. What two players will benefit the most after losing two starting pieces, and what does it mean for the Bulls outlook in the standings?
Matas Buzelis On The Big Stage
Drafted 11th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft after being ranked the top player in the 2024 draft class at one point last year, Buzelis proceeded to put on a show at the Las Vegas Summer League for Chicago. He averaged 16.4 points per outing, showing elite athleticism and three-level scoring abilities, and is pushing to become the fourth Chicago Bull of all time to earn a starting nod as a rookie.
While it is unlikely that Buzelis will earn the starting gig on day one, he'll likely be awarded minutes off the bench. With a lack of size in the second unit and needing to replace two starting spots, bench minutes will be up for grabs. He's the tallest player on the Bulls' depth chart, and is just one of three players at 6'9" or taller. When Donovan needs to deploy height and length, Buzelis will get the call.
Julian Philips Will See More Usage
After being selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, Julian Philips saw the floor in 40 of Chicago's 82 outings in his rookie campaign. Before the calendar turned to 2024, he averaged less than five minutes per showing and didn't score over two points in a single game. In the latter half of the year, aided by the injuries that opened up opportunities down the roster, Philips averaged a dozen minutes and five points per game while shooting over 40% from three-point land. If his three-point shot can remain dependable, his length and explosiveness will earn more court time in his sophomore campaign.
Philips and Giddey are the only two non-centers that stand 6'8", adding length and athleticism that isn't found anywhere else in Donovan's arsenal. DeRozan absorbed much of the workload at the small forward spot, a role that Philips size will plug and play into off the bench.
ESPN projects Chicago to win 30 games in the 2024-25 season. If this is even remotely accurate, the fanbase will implore Donovan's staff to deploy the young talent on the roster to sift out the future assets from the busts. Seeing the athletic duo of Buzelis and Philips will not only help the three-point shooting woes that Chicago has been plagued by for the past five years. Still, it would add size and explosiveness this team hasn't boasted in several seasons.
