PRESS CONFERENCES: Are INJURIES Becoming a Concern After Day 2? | CHGO Bulls

PRESS CONFERENCES: Are INJURIES Becoming a Concern After Day 2? | CHGO Bulls

Uh, everybody Yuki was back in. He fully practiced. Obviously, Kobe’s still out. Patrick left practice. Um, I don’t think it’s too serious. Haven’t really checked with them, but just kind of a look looked like an ankle sprain. What about uh Kobe? I know he’s obviously like limited right now, but like what kind of stuff is he doing and what kind of timeline are you? Well, I I think that leading up to to to to uh training camp, you know, with this calf, I think, and it’s it’s it’s the it’s the case, I think, with a lot of these kind of injuries when you’re dealing with a soft tissue injury, you start to ramp them up and then obviously when they start to maybe start to feel I don’t even say with Kobe it was discomfort as much as it was tightness, they kind of pull back and then I think when they do that a couple times and maybe the tightness is still there, What ends up happening is, “Okay, listen. Let’s let’s shut this down.” So, he does do some shooting on the court. He is riding the bike. He’s doing everything he can do to keep himself in shape. Um, he’s obviously I appreciate his involvement in practice and trying to be uplifting to the guys while he’s out there. Um, but that’s really all he’s doing, you know, and I mean, he’s doing everything he can do within the framework of giving his calf enough time to, you know, recover. Yeah. Like early on in the season, you probably want to like let it totally calm down so that it’s not a lingering thing for us. That’s that was the biggest thing right there is exactly how that works. It was just like, okay, this eagerness to start camp and then all of a sudden he’s got that and then it puts him another week and then you’re putting it behind. He had been dealing with this in the summer and it was like you know what like we’re trying to ramp him up to get him ready for camp and he’s still feeling some tightness there and we need to get it to the point where he gets past the tightness so let’s just shut this down to make sure we are past it many can kind of start back up with activities but that was exactly the big thing is like you don’t want to start to get into three or four preseason games and then you got to shut them down for two weeks going into the regular season. So, I think there was an overabundance of caution and I don’t say that in in any negative way. I think it was a smart move to make sure he’s out of the woods and he’s healthy once he does get back to playing. Going back to Patrick, did you see what happened? Did he roll his ankle? You know, I was down at the other end. It looked like he kind of came like he was going up for a layup and he tried to I don’t want to say jump stop, but he planted and you could just see his he tweaked his ankle kind of went over on him. I don’t know if it was the right or the left. I’m not really sure. During scrimmage or Yeah. Playing five on five. Yep. Yep. He kind of he didn’t come down anybody’s foot. He actually stopped and like I think his momentum maybe his foot got planted and his foot you know his foot rolled over. Was he carried off? Did he go off? No. No. He walked off the court. No, he walked off. He was not carried off. Not amputated or anything like No, he’s okay. It was none of that. He But but it it wasn’t one of those where he kind of came down, landed on the guy’s foot, and twisted it. It was more coming to a stop like his sneaker got stuck and it rolled. I want to ask you too about Trey Jones because it was pretty clear how quickly he earned your trust last season when he came here, but he’s also he was in a high usage role last year because of where you guys were at the season and the Zack trade and injuries. Can you envision him in a successful backup role moving into the season and how pleased were you that they resigned? Yeah, I mean I was very very happy that we did that. I think there’s a lot of substance to Trey. I know I mentioned, you know, the IT factor, a lot of intangible things that I don’t that he just brings to the table. He’s consistent every day as a person. He’s a really good competitor. He’s got a really high IQ. Um I think he’s really good with the guys. He he he is a sees the game, you know, through through a leadership point guard role in terms of trying to make people better. Um listen, I think that you know, you always go back when that happened during the year and you know, you look at the minutes and you say, you know, in some way did the minutes create, you know, what ended up happening to his foot? Um, I don’t know if it did or it didn’t. It’s hard to say, but you have to at least take into consider into consideration the fact that he went from playing a certain amount of minutes in San Antonio to a pretty big spike for us, right? So, you know, had that maybe contributed possibly. But I think his role is going to be important. And the thing that’s great with him is whether it’s starting, coming off the bench, whatever you like, he’s always tries to figure out ways to impact the game. What did you like about how Josh and Cody played together last season? What do you feel like they need to improve about that partnership this year? I I I felt like as the season went on and I think it was hard for Josh like again you know you talk about a player coming from an entirely different country and I know he was in Oklahoma City and he’d been in America but from that to an entirely different team and you’re always you know Josh’s greatest strength and he’s got a lot of great strengths but one of his strengths is he’s really good passer you know and I think in that position it takes a while to get to know guys the thing that I felt really good about Kobe and and Josh was the relational piece to watch that grow. I I know they always had a really good relationship off the court, but I think on the court, their constant communication, talking to one another, um I thought that was really really positive and helpful. Um and especially after, you know, the Zack trade, you know, once Zack kind of uh was after the All-Star break wasn’t on our team anymore. I think those two guys, at least their pairings were maybe a little bit different than it was pre, you know, Trey deadline all-star break and I think that relationship on the court just continued to evolve. Kobe said that he’s been working in the offseason on being a little bit more off the ball. Is that kind of just the expectation of where kind of that dynamic is going to fall of Kobe shifting back to being a little bit more of that shoe guard? You know, it’s he he co Kobe is obviously very very dynamic with the ball and we need him with the ball and we need him doing that. The other part of his growth and and develop and I think he realized this there are opportunities for him to make the game easy for himself by running and getting into open windows, open situations to create closeouts where he’s got defenders kind of closing to him rather than defenders on him. And I think for probably somebody like Kobe, as you look at your career and evaluate your career and you come into the league and you’re kind of a point guard and you’re playing off the ball, on the ball, and you’re this combo guard, I think you just envision yourself, okay, I’m going to play with the ball in my hands. And I think as he’s gotten better, he’s become a different priority for teams around the league in terms of trying to stop him. And I think the other part for him is for his develop development for our team. His movement off the ball is something that’s important. It’s not necessarily about, hey, let’s move him off the ball as much as when he’s off the ball, he’s got to generate and create opportunities for himself without quote unquote play calling, like maybe running to the corner or getting out in transition, getting up the floor. And I get it like there’s times, you know, he may be a little bit tired and it’s like, you know what, I’m going to take this one off and or hey, a guy’s driving, he’s watching, he can move into an open gap or area. It would create a close out or a catch and shoot or an opportunity to maybe not play against a loaded shifted defense. So, I think it’s something that, you know, when I’ve talked to him the last two years that he’s kind of put u a focus on, but I think he even sees it himself. It’s he he’s wanted to work and get better in those areas. he basically just can’t be like waiting for the ball to be back in or the ball in his hands the whole entire time. You know what I mean? Because you know when the ball’s in your hands the whole entire time the the defense is going to play the ball. So you know if I see if Coro has it or V has it or you know Modis has got it and there’s some kind of penetration or drive or there’s some kind of play that they’re making the defense is going to rotate to that. There are opportunities on the perimeter to move into areas of the floor where that ball may find you and now you’re playing in in a game that becomes a little bit easier. That’s not to say we don’t want Co with the ball in his hands. I definitely do. But there’s other ways for him to inject himself into the game when the ball’s not in his hands and he can find a way to get to smoke. You know, I always say it’s that part of the game is like it’s like running in transition. You know, ah I keep I I’m running but I’m not getting it. Well, you may have to run 20 times to get it twice. You know what I mean? Kobe, I’m not getting Well, you may have to keep doing that 20 times, right? It’s just that. And I think Kobe’s got that mentality cuz he’s always been a worker. And I think part of his growth as a player, and I’ve said this before, he deserves all the credit. He always takes time to evaluate where he needs to get better. And I think that’s another step for him that was going to help him and help our team. Building off of that, given where you know, given the how dynamic he is with the ball in his hands, do you see kind of a path where you could potentially stagger Josh and Kobe or do you see the path to victory as we want these two guys playing at the same time? Kobe mostly off ball and Josh, you know, handling the facilitating. Yeah, I mean, I think you’ve got to look at it from both lenses. I love those two guys on the floor together. They’ve been great. But the other thing too is sometimes, you know, when you have guys coming in off the bench, it’s a way to shore up the unit and you stagger them, you know, so maybe it’s their starting games, closing first or second quarters, closing games, but you know, you there’s there’s a lot of room in between the game where if they can show and create support for other guys, you know, I don’t want to say that all their minutes are only going to be together. I think there’s opportunities where they won’t always be together, and that’s not a bad thing either. you know, you’re just trying to build up the team and utilize those rotations as best you can. Billy, I’m not sure you have Lis’s comments on Monday, but he was saying that he’s asked the staff to sort of treat him like a all defensive guy, like he wants that treatment. What does that look like for you guys as a staff and how do you sort of balance like knowing he’s in his second year, but wanting to treat him like a player on college? Yeah, I I mean I think the biggest thing with Modis for me is I think he really wants to be pushed and challenged. He’s always been that way. I think it’s a really good thing. I’ve said this before. I’ve been around younger players when they make a mistake, they feel like the end of the world. They feel like they’re letting everybody down. He’s got a really, really good ability to kind of quickly course correct and try to learn from it and move forward. um listen, he’s got a lot of areas he’s got to get better in. And and I don’t say that in in a way that um that he’s disappointed anybody cuz he’s probably exceeded expectations the way the year started for him last year and where he ended up. But like he he said, which he wants to do, he’s got to get better defensively. You know, he’s got to get better offensively. there’s a lot of room in growth because I said I think at on on Monday I said this he’s going to see a difference this year in relationship to the level of players that he’s going to be guarded that that he’s got to guard and that who’s going to be guarding him and I think in a lot of ways you know that first half of the year probably wasn’t a well-known commodity in the league and by the end of the year he was a well-known commodity and he’s going to be a different guy on the scouting report now than he had been in the past but that’s kind of part of is growth and development. He needs that. He wants that. He’ll lean into that and I respect that he wants that. Like he wants to be a great defender. He wants to be a great offensive player. He’s got a drive to do those things. So, like I said, you know, he’s got a lot of things to get better at, but he wants to get better at those things and he wants to be challenged and pushed on those things, which I have great respect and admiration for because I don’t think Modus has ever taken the easy way out. He’s always taken a tougher road and I give him credit for putting himself out there of who he wants to be as a player and and so what does that sort of change as far as what you guys are doing as a staff cuz he made it sound like he’s almost demanding to be coached that way. Like what how has that changed what you guys? Yeah, I don’t know if I really have had conversations with him necessarily about um the defensive part as much as keep pushing me, you know, you know, keep keep coaching, keep pushing. That’s that’s kind of what I’ve done with him, you know, and probably, you know, he got a a pretty good taste of that early in the year last year when the, you know, he had pretty pretty much a a very uh short, you know, opportunity where if he wasn’t doing the things he said he wanted to be held to, he was off the floor and he sat on the bench. And I do think that for him that helped him see what are the things I do have to do to, you know, get to be the player I want to become. So I don’t sense anything this year has changed from what he said to me last year coming in as a rookie or what he wanted. Like nothing has really changed from my perspective. He’s always wanted that, you know, from I think everybody. What’s your impression about Yuki? Yeah, I mean Yuki’s got a great feel how to play. He’s a very very smart player. Um it’s pretty amazing the impact he can make. Um you know at his size. Uh I love the fact that he can pick up full court and pressure the ball the way he does. He’s a very very good three-point shooter. Um he’s a very very good passer. Obviously he’s got an experience with Memphis of being in the league. But um you know just with the way he plays the game, his spirit, who he is as a guy, you know, you always root for people like that. Uh let’s start with uh the health. Um obviously last we saw you unfortunately suffering an injury. When did you get fully healthy? How do you feel uh as training campus started here? Yeah, it took about probably about a month uh to get fully healthy off season. Um obviously wasn’t in a rush to get back healthy with it being the offseason and just wanted to take care of myself. So, I’m about a month into the off season. Uh, got back to working out and, you know, being back to myself. Um, it was feeling good. So, um, you know, feel back to myself now. Um, feels good to be back with the with the guys, everybody in here, um, working hard and, you know, ready to get this thing rolling. Yeah. So, obviously you let your agent Kevin do what he does, but did you think you’d be back here? Um, yeah. I I I had a feeling, um, I’d be back here. I had to come back probably a couple times in the offseason just to um do some testing for my foot and things like that before I had resigned and every time I would be telling my wife like I just have a feeling you know I’m going to be back like I don’t know what it was. Um so I’m just super excited to be back. Obviously didn’t get too much of the summer here but um you know the weather’s still beautiful and everything so I love it. I just asked Billy this. I mean, you’re obviously in a pretty high usage role with Zach getting traded and some of the injuries and starting a lot, too. You you project to be in a different role, at least initially with Josh and Kobe, probably the starters. How do you think you’ll adjust to that? Yeah. Um, yeah, I’m ready for, you know, whatever the team asks uh of me. Um, you know, obviously, like you said, we’re not banged up coming into this year, which is nice. So, we’ll have a lot more bodies um coming into the year and um we’re all trying to figure out our roles and everything like that. But I mean, whatever the team asks and needs from me, you know, I’ll be ready to try to give my all in my role and just do whatever I can to help the team win. We talked about this a little bit towards the end of the year, but just having, you know, some time removed from it. Um, what did it feel like to just come in and just gel so quickly? It felt like you played very comfortably from from the get- go. Yeah. Um, I think the style of play was was huge for me. um being able to gel so quickly with the guys and also just the guys um accepting, you know, us three that got traded in here. They accepted us, you know, very quickly, helped us get acclimated to everything going on so quickly and, you know, it was a a great group of unselfish guys that also helped us. So, um I don’t think it was necessarily anything we did. I think just the coaches and the and our teammates, you know, helping us get caught up right away and then, you know, that’s just fitting in nicely. And then with that, obviously, you were free for free agent. Um, but you signed I think like pretty much right away. Was there ever any thought about like trying to explore your options or because you had such a good, you know, time here and uh jelled so quickly, you kind of wanted to be back right away? Yeah, I definitely wanted to be back. Um, I didn’t want to think about uh going anywhere else and so, you know, I just wanted to wanted to be back for sure and everything else I just let my agent do. I don’t want to get into all that stuff. So told him to just call me if he had if he heard anything and um you know obviously we heard pretty quickly and so that that was definitely good. This back court has changed so much in the last year and you guys kind of had to adapt to that on the fly last season with injuries and trades. How would you define how this back court kind of looks coming into this season now that you’ve had a little bit more time with it? Yeah. Um I mean I think uh you know we have a deep back court for sure. Um, you know, coach likes to play a lot of guards, though. So, you know, that’ll be really good for us that that we do have some depth in the back court and, you know, we play extremely fast, so we got a lot of guards out there that can push the pace. Um, you know, we’re very unselfish. We like to move the ball and then, um, you know, really good in transition, so we’ll try to keep that up again this year. Did you follow Josh Giddy’s restricted free agency? Of course I did. We were keeping in touch though. you know, we knew I think we kind of had a feeling he would be back, but obviously it’s just the business of it all. So, you kind of just got to take it for what it is and, you know, just continue to show up like like we did. Did you ask for a weld? Yeah, I need to I need to get all those Kobes now that he’s with Puma. Saw you briefly in Vegas. Haven’t seen you since then. What was kind of your uh your offseason like? It was a good offseason. Did a lot of traveling. Uh you know, you guys saw me in Vegas in August. I did uh basketball without borders for the NBA which was a great trip. Honestly, they do a really good job. Uh stayed over in Europe for a little bit. I was back here at the end of August and all September. That was your first one, right? Uh basketballorders. Yeah, his first one. And uh was Lloyd Pierce kind of behind that or he was uh I think he went to the following one. He went to the one in Africa this year. So I did the Europe one. I think I told you this last time, but he was like my first or second year. He brought a couple of us together and said, “We got to do this trip at some point.” Like kind of put a pin in it, but it’s a really good trip to do and so I’m glad I was able to do it this year. You obviously found a comfort level pretty quickly here last year um coming over after the trade and you guys brought basically everybody back with Trey and Josh resigning. What are your kind of thoughts about your role and the team going into this off season? Yeah, I’m excited. I’m excited. Like you said, I think a big part of that was the style of play. Uh I think we’re trying to do a lot of the same stuff. Got a lot of bodies. I think we’re going to be able to play fast and so definitely excited for the group we have. Kevin, you mentioned kind of having a lot of bodies. Trey also talked about just the amount of guards that are kind of in this group. How do you approach wanting to kind of stand out, carve a little out for yourself with the margins that maybe? Yeah, I think everyone has different skill sets. I think, you know, that’ll happen naturally if we all just play like ourselves. Uh, but I think that depth to the strength of our team, especially at the guard positions and a lot of guys are going to play in different roles or not different roles, different positions and uh, we all just got to be ourselves. It’ll all come together. You you have experience as both a starter and a reserve in this league. You’ve started more by a lot though and had success last year closing the season as a starter. What are kind of your thoughts going into camp? Do you want to be the starter? Do you I know you’re going to say what you’re going to do is best for the team, but looks like there’s one sp starting spot that could be open. What’s your approach to Yeah. To me, it it really doesn’t matter. Uh, you know, I trust Billy. I trust his judgment. Like I said, I love the way that we’re going to play. We’re going to play fast. We’re going to play up and down. I think we’re going to play a lot of bodies. And so, I trust his judgment. So, if it’s starting, great. If it’s not, great. Come off the bench. What What sense you get about like what they are looking for out of the starting three? Um, is it like more of a defensive thing? We’ve talked a lot about physicality so far. Is it more of the shooting and the moving shooting stuff that you offer? What’s kind of a sense of what the coaching staff is going to be? They haven’t really gone too far, you know, telling us exactly what they’re looking for. Billy has just said to everybody just, you know, for me especially, just be myself, you know, uh, whatever that entails and play to my strengths. And like I said, the rest is up to him, his judgment, whatever he thinks we need. What about the competition itself between you and Isaac and maybe I Trey in there? Like just in scrimmaging and stuff like that. How’s that? Yeah, there’s competition every day. It’s been a lot of fun. uh even before this week, you know, here all of September, we played a lot of pickup and just being competitive going at each other. Even in the weight room, you know, guys talking again, it’s it’s a lot of guys that um like I said, our our strength is our depth is a strength. I think there’s a lot of guys who can play a lot of minutes, who deserve to play a lot of minutes, and I think kind of, you know, making each other better every day has been great. Is there any talk amongst yourselves, I mean, obviously everyone can see what happened to the East with the terrible injuries to Tatum and Albert. I mean, is there any talk amongst yourselves like, hey, this conference is wide open. I mean, we with our style of play and our depth, we can surprise some people. Yeah, you know, I think we’re a confident group. We haven’t really set any specific goals or, you know, markers that we want to hit. I think as a team, it’s continuing to play the right way. Everybody’s aware of the injuries that have have happened across the East. And, uh, if we come out and play the way we think we’re capable of playing, we play the right way. the style of basketball. I think Billy’s wanting us to play, you know. I I like our chances.

Billy Donovan, Kevin Huerter, and Tre Jones speak with the media following day 2 of Chicago Bulls Training Camp! With injuries to Coby White and Patrick Williams, do the Bulls have reason to be worried early in camp? Plus, Jones breaks down his free agent process. And is Huerter gunning for the starting SF spot?

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