Fair or unfair, it’s been open season on Jim Boylen since Day 1 of his takeover of the Bulls coaching seat, at least for some fans.
By the time the coronavirus put the NBA on hiatus almost two weeks ago, some fans had turned into most fans.
Boylen missteps haven’t gone unnoticed, and what the coach definitely can’t escape at the end of the day is the 39-84 record (.317 winning percentage) since he grabbed Fred Hoiberg’s spot on Dec. 3, 2018.
But maybe, just maybe, disgruntled fans can at least applaud him for the handling of Coby White.
Like Boylen did with the team initially in taking over the whistle last season, it was about learning how to crawl, then walk, then run.
White was no different, and two weeks ago, the No.7 overall pick from North Carolina had reached the running stage of the process, named a starter and having the ball placed in his hands from opening tip-off … for a whopping one game.
A win over the Cavaliers, but still just one game before COVID-19 changed the entire NBA landscape.
“He started off as a guy that was off-the-ball [at the start of the season], we gravitated him more to the ball, and now he’s going to be on the ball more with that first group,’’ Boylen said at the time of the rookie’s growth this season. “I think the progression has been good.’’
Good? That’s underselling it.
In a season void of positives, White was just about it.
Sure, he has rookie flaws, and there are still serious questions about his ability to exclusively be a lead guard, but his last 10 games before the shutdown were more than promising. They screamed potential franchise building block.
In 33.8 minutes per game over that span, White was 24.7 points, 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds. He shot 46.8 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three-point range, as well.
This was the same guy that looked overwhelmed in Summer League, and then had admittedly hit the rookie wall in December and January. He kept working, however. Kept coming to the Advocate Center late at night for extra shots, and kept watching film, looking to improve, especially on the defensive end.
He adapted.
Now, whether the current season resumes this year or the Bulls have to wait until next year, the organization has a serious question to weigh: Has White’s emergence changed the focal point of the rebuild? Rather than Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen, is it LaVine and White? Or taking it a step further, is it White and say a Wendell Carter Jr.?
All fair questions for a franchise searching for answers.
The Situation: While LaVine and White are both combo guards, capable of falling out of bed and scoring 20 points in an NBA game, the comparison stops there.
White is a straight-line blur of speed, but doesn’t have the wiggle or athletic ability of LaVine. White, however, also seems to embrace the defensive side of the ball more than LaVine, but neither is forcing the opposition to lose any sleep.
Could they co-exist as a starting backcourt and develop into a threatening duo? Absolutely. That’s why the season shutdown was such a kick in the teeth for the Bulls. It’s a backcourt that’s still a wait-and-see.
The Resolution: If White can continue to develop his court vision and play-making ability, the Bulls may have a rewrite with the plans of the rebuild. Big “Ifs.’’
Bold Prediction: White will eventually allow LaVine to seek greener pastures – at least pastures that allow for more winning when LaVine’s contract is up – shifting the focus of the Bulls organization to the former Tar Heel.
It will be White’s team in two years.
