LAS VEGAS — Julian Phillips has no guess on what his role will be with the Bulls this season.
That’s not where his head is these days.
Minutes, where he is in the rotation, who he plays behind? Those are his questions for the fall.
What the second-year forward does know is that there is a path for him to be a regular fixture off the bench. Summer League is just the next step on the path.
“You want minutes on the floor then you’ve got to guard somebody,” Summer League coach Billy Donovan III said, ripping a page straight from his dad’s handbook.
That was the message Bulls coach Billy Donovan made very clear to Phillips last season, and his son is keeping that tradition alive.
The good news for Phillips is he has the skill set to not only be an elite defender, but but also a willing defender. And not just on the man he’s assigned to. He’s versatile and athletic enough to defend guards and smaller wings.
That was starting to show itself last February and March until a foot sprain cost Phillips the rest of the season.
“I think the challenge for him is this is the first organized basketball he’s played in I don’t know how long,” Donovan III said of Phillips’ Summer League performance through the first three games. “Getting him comfortable and confident. But just the ability to guard team’s best scorers and taking that challenge on because he really is a good defender as far as keeping guys in front of him.
“And Julian has gotten to the point now where he can make an open shot. That was definitely something that was a point of emphasis coming out of Tennessee, and he’s done that, he’s worked his tail off to get back on the floor.”
He’s not only been back on the floor but also has shown the flashes that he put on film as a rookie.
That included a 17-point, 10-rebound performance in the Game 1 victory against Milwaukee over the weekend, and then bouncing back from a poor showing against the Warriors to score 12 points and grab seven rebounds in Tuesday’s loss to Detroit.
“I feel like I’m back to normal . . . I feel good with it,” Phillips said of the setback he had with the foot and now his return. “Just gotta keep bringing energy on both sides of the ball. Gotta keep defending like I do, gotta be able to knock down open shots, read different closeouts. Just find a way to impact the game positively by those things, and if we do that at a high level I’ll have an opportunity to showcase that.”
He might not have much of a choice.
The Bulls are in the midst of a youth movement, and even with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic still in the mix, Phillips knows there are holes to fill.
“We do have a lot of young guys and that’s exciting because [some of us have] been around each other for the last year, and it will be exciting to see what we’ll be able to do,” Phillips added.
But not all holes can be filled.
Pops is gone. That’s what DeMar DeRozan was to the young players on the roster, teaching them how to be a pro both on and off the court. The sign-and-trade that sent DeRozan to the Kings earlier this month hasn’t been fully felt yet, but it will be.
“His presence was felt every day,” Phillips said of DeRozan. “His professionalism was felt at a very high level. After just seeing it, it kind of tells you the player he really is and why he’s the man he is, the different things he preaches and believes in. Just being under him for that year was really special for me just to see it up close and personal, so he’ll be missed.”
Buzelis has opened some eyes through the first three games of Summer League play, displaying a versatility in scoring and defense. But what really stands out is his confidence, bordering on cockiness, as well as his desire to win.
With Bulls exec Arturas Karnisovas still looking to move LaVine, an NBA source said the team could be headed for locker-room headaches. DeMar DeRozan served as a buffer between LaVine and coach Billy Donovan, but he’s with the Kings now.