That will include head coach Billy Donovan, who like Karnisovas wonders what the core group might do if healthy. “We’re gonna sit down and figure it out with the group.” Is that shooting? Is that defense? Is that size? Athleticism?
We’ll figure it out, what additions we need. Results come, obviously, when you keep the same group longer. “Because we’re constantly competing against teams that have been together for three, four, and five years. “I hope for continuity,” said the executive vice president.
Maybe that’s why Karnisovas is hoping for some continuity for the group as they look ahead to the 2022-2023 season, with time still needed to evaluate just what the core of the team can do. Our performance staff working with the guys that are working back from injuries. “So for Billy (Donovan) and his staff and what they had to deal with our performance staff was wonderful, too This gym was just every day busy with our player development guys trying to keep guys that low-minute run, to keep those guys in shape. Somebody’s COVID positive, somebody just tweaked a knee, somebody’s out. Pretty much coming to the Advocate Center and not even knowing what the lineup’s going to look like. “Remembering what we had to go through in December and January. “It’s very difficult to pinpoint when you have 29 different lineups during the season,” said Karnisovas. It made for a trying year for the Bulls and a hard one for executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas to evaluate as the team heads toward the postseason after their quick playoff elimination.
Patrick Williams was lost for five months after wrist surgery, Lonzo Ball the entire second half of the season after knee surgery, while Zach LaVine was in and out of the lineup at times with knee trouble.Īlex Caruso, who floated between the starting lineup and a bench role, also dealt with a long absence due to a broken wrist suffered in January. Complicating that, however, is the fact that the core of the team didn’t play together very much during a season that featured a number of injuries.