The Chicago Bulls will head to the desert this week for one of the final steps of the offseason: NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
The Bulls will play four games before the knockout stage of the tournament: the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, Golden State Warriors on Sunday, Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and Atlanta Hawks on July 19.
Here are four things to watch during summer-league action.
1. How league-ready is Matas Buzelis?
The focal point of this year’s summer league is Matas Buzelis, whom the Bulls selected with the No. 11 pick in the draft. A 6-foot-9 wing who grew up in Hinsdale, Buzelis is expected to bring length and versatility to a young roster on the precipice of a rebuild.
Buzelis went pro immediately out of high school, playing one year before declaring for the now-defunct Ignite team in the G League. This means he already has had plenty of experience against the same quality of talent that typically plays in summer league — which executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas noted as a key strength that informed the front office’s decision to draft the 19-year-old.
Buzelis should be primed to show out, but keep an eye on his defensive pressure and shooting efficiency. He is known as a high-tempo player who can make things happen in the open floor. But if he’s putting together these other aspects of his game, Buzelis could be ready for a heftier diet of minutes in the regular season.
2. Has Julian Phillips developed his shot?
After seeing limited court time last season, 2023 second-round pick Julian Phillips will return to Las Vegas for another tuneup.
Despite averaging only 8.1 minutes in 40 appearances as a rookie, Phillips flashed plenty of potential. He’s an athletic defender on the perimeter and can open lanes to the rim while slashing as an attacker.
But Phillips’ key area for growth is his shooting efficiency — a shared trait among recent draft picks, including Buzelis and 2022 first-rounder Dalen Terry.
Phillips was a 31.6% 3-point shooter, averaging only one attempt per game as a rookie. He shot at a 41.6% clip in NBA games, although that jumped to 50% in his four appearances with the Windy City Bulls in the G League. That was actually an improvement from Phillips’ only year at Tennessee, when he averaged 41.1% from the field and 23.9% from behind the arc.
If he can continue a similar trajectory, he’ll be on the right path to develop his shot long term in the NBA.
3. Local connections throughout the roster
Local college basketball fans might notice a pair of familiar faces representing the Bulls in Las Vegas: Illinois product Marcus Domask and Northwestern product Chase Audige.
Domask played his final year of NCAA eligibility at Illinois after spending his first four years at Southern Illinois. The forward averaged 15.9 points and 3.9 assists for the Illini last season, winning Big Ten Newcomer of the Year. Although he went undrafted, a strong summer-league performance could be a steppingstone for Domask to earn a G League or two-way contract.
Audige played three years for Northwestern and averaged 12.3 points and 2.3 assists as a starting guard before going undrafted in 2023. He played in 17 games last season in the G League for the Windy City Bulls and Capital City Go-Go.
Another familiar face in the mix is Whitney Young product DJ Steward, who spent one year with Duke before going undrafted in 2021. Steward spent the last three seasons in the G League, playing for the Stockton Kings, Vancouver Bandits and Maine Celtics.
4. Billy Donovan III makes his summer-league debut
A summer-league coaching hire isn’t always a major attraction — but it is when the head coach hands the reins to his son.
Billy Donovan III will serve as the coach for the Bulls, an elevation for the assistant coach heading into his fifth year with the team. Donovan’s promotion is part of a rearrangement of the Bulls coaching staff, which included the departure of Josh Longstaff, Maurice Cheeks and Chris Fleming, the promotion of John Bryant and the hiring of Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig. Bryant had served as the team’s summer-league coach the last two seasons.
Donovan graduated from Florida in 2015 after playing for his father and then spent two years as a high school coach. He started his professional coaching career as a G League assistant with the Austin Spurs in 2017, then spent time as a video coordinator for the Phoenix Suns and as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs until he joined the Bulls staff in 2020.
