After being excluded from the Bulls‘ first two matchups, Derrick Jones Jr. is striving to establish he merits regular playing opportunity, as per a report by Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. Jones played a crucial role in changing the momentum of Monday’s victory against the Celtics, putting up 10 points in the second period during his eight minutes on the court, which helped Chicago convert a nine-point deficit into a seven-point lead. He also significantly impacted the defensive end, limiting Boston to only 15 points in the quarter.
Schaefer mentions that Jones might not have stayed with the Bulls if they had succeeded in their offseason attempt to sign free agent Danilo Gallinari. Instead, Gallinari opted for the Celtics, and Jones returned to Chicago on a one-year, $3.3MM deal that could prove to be a steal.
“I’ve encountered this situation several times in my career,” Jones commented on the challenge of earning a spot in the rotation. “It’s not the first time. I’m fine. … Always putting in the effort. We consistently work hard in the gym, even those of us who receive limited minutes.”
Here are more updates from Chicago:
- Jones was not the sole Bulls bench player who shined on Monday, indicated by observations from Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The team also received noteworthy performances from Goran Dragic, Alex Caruso, Javonte Green, and Andre Drummond, with Chicago’s bench emerging as a positive aspect in the early part of the season. Coach Billy Donovan praised the second unit, saying: “We dug ourselves a hole in that second quarter, but I give our second unit a lot of credit. I thought those guys came in and really played with great energy and great enthusiasm and kind of turned the game.”
- Caruso is not officially under a minutes restriction, but Donovan is closely monitoring his playing time, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Last season, Caruso averaged more minutes in losses than wins, and the coaching staff wants to ensure he does not exhaust himself with his aggressive playing style.
- The challenging start to the season for Patrick Williams continued on Monday, but he is not at immediate risk of losing his spot in the starting lineup, as highlighted by Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Williams played only 15 minutes against Boston, contributing four points and three rebounds, but Donovan showed his support post-game. “Since he entered the league, he’s been consistently guarding the opposing team’s top players and has always embraced that challenge,” Donovan remarked. “He’s never backed down. I believe he has great potential for the future, and we all have faith in him. This is part of a process where he needs to continue responding to the competitive challenges.”
Image Source: Derrick Jones Jr. @ Instagram
