Four days into Bulls training camp, and not one tense moment between players or a single punch thrown.
Yes it’s early, but it also shows that while there’s a lot on the line for guys that are competing for starting spots and playing time, it’s being done in a “respectful’’ way.
“There’s a lot of banging going on,’’ coach Jim Boylen said. “[Tomas] Satoransky, and you forget about Archie [Ryan Arcidiacono] and Shaq [Harrison] too. Those dudes are tough. The guard play has been fun to watch and competitive. Respectful, but very competitive. I think it’s really added to the spirit of our team, of making each other better, or growing as a group, building a team, it’s been great for us.’’
How great remains to be seen.
Obviously the headliner coming into camp was Kris Dunn and Satoransky going head-to-head for the starting point guard duties. Then there’s a scramble after that, as rookie Coby White, Harrison and Arcidiacono will all fight for minutes.
“I think going against each other is just going to make us better,’’ Dunn said. “Everybody on the team is talented. The point guard position is talented. I think it’s just overall going to make us better.’’
The landscape was a bit different in camp two years ago, as Bobby Portis made national news when he punched then-teammate Nikola Mirotic. The two came into that 2017 camp fighting for one starting spot, and neither ended up getting it.
Mirotic was out for months because of the damage he suffered in the altercation, while Portis had to serve an eight-game suspension. That opened up the door for Lauri Markkanen to earn the starting spot as a rookie.
Preseason plans
Because of the FIBA World Cup delaying the start of training camps around the league this year, preseason games are already in the Bulls’ lap come Monday, when they host the Eastern Conference-favorite Milwaukee Bucks.
It will be four games in seven days for Boylen and his players, then three days off before hosting Atlanta in the preseason finale. So of course the starting lineups will change, as the coaching staff wants to see as many different looks as they can in the five games.
“Absolutely,’’ Boylen said. “We’ll move people around, we’ll change lineups. Again, as it progresses, you might see us narrow even the preseason rotation, some of this has to do with injury and how guys are feeling. So it’s something we’re going to meet on [Saturday]. I’m also going to meet with [vice president of basketball operations] John [Paxson] and [head trainer] Chip [Schaefer] and lay out kind of a map of the next 10 days, what it’s going to look like.’’
Walking wounded
Not only did Wendell Carter Jr. (tailbone contusion) miss the Friday practice, but Denzel Valentine had a scheduled rest day, while Harrison (hamstring), Luke Kornet (toe) and Chandler Hutchison (hamstring) were each sidelined.
Hutchison remains the biggest concern, as he still has to get back on the court, pass the fitness test, and then show he can compete at a high level in practices. Boylen already said that the start of the regular season is in jeopardy for Hutchison.
“A hamstring is a difficult injury,’’ Boylen said. “It’s a trust thing. You’ve got to trust that you can get back into your stance. You’ve got to trust you can extend. And I don’t think he’s there yet. It’s going to be a while.’’
