With Coby White sidelined by a calf strain, the Chicago Bulls’ starting lineup looked markedly different in their preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Billy Donovan started Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Nikola Vucevic, alongside Isaac Okoro and Kevin Huerter—two players vying for the final starting spot.
Huerter started several games after being traded to Chicago last season and proved to be a valuable addition. He averaged 15.3 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.0 three-pointers per game while posting an impressive plus-8.8 plus/minus. Yet Okoro, acquired in an offseason trade, addresses Chicago’s need for a point-of-attack perimeter defender.
The choice between Huerter and Okoro isn’t an easy one, and unfortunately for Donovan, it just got harder. Okoro impressed with 11 points and two made threes, but also turned the ball over five times. Huerter struggled, finishing with just three points on 1-of-7 shooting and committing three turnovers.
More contenders emerge for Chicago’s fifth starter
However, to further muddy the waters, reserve guards Ayo Dosunmu and Tre Jones were arguably the Bulls’ second and third-best players, trailing only Matas Buzelis. Dosunmu looked sharp in his return from shoulder surgery, scoring 12 points with three rebounds while knocking down 5-of-6 field goals, including both of his threes.
Despite missing the final third of the season, Dosunmu showed no rust. His shot looked smooth, and his steady decision-making was a welcome boost for a Bulls team that struggled with turnovers early, notching four in the first five minutes.
Jones also provided a steadying presence for Chicago’s first and second units. Playmaking was an early issue for the Bulls, but once Jones checked in, the offense found its flow. Chicago scored 19 of its 26 first-quarter points in the final seven minutes with him on the floor.
The 25-year-old floor general finished with 10 points, two assists, and four steals, leading the Bulls with a plus-16 plus/minus. With White sidelined, Jones proved a valuable secondary option to ease Giddey’s playmaking load. Before Jones entered, Chicago struggled whenever Jaylon Tyson matched up with Giddey in the backcourt, preventing the Aussie from initiating the Bulls’ offense.
It was evident that the Bulls need another ball handler alongside Giddey in the backcourt. When White returns, he is expected to assume the role of primary scorer and take a share of Giddey’s playmaking burden, yet Chicago’s playmaking was severely lacking with tonight's starting five-man unit.
Even so, the need for Dosunmu and Jones will be less urgent once White returns but their performances should make Donovan reconsider his starting lineup.
Jones is likely best suited with the second unit, as shown by the Bulls’ lack of playmaking and ball handling without both Giddey and White. Nonetheless, there’s a strong case for the overlooked Dosunmu to reclaim a spot in Chicago’s starting lineup. He offers a blend of Huerter’s scoring ability and Okoro’s defensive versatility.
Dosunmu isn’t the knockdown shooter Huerter is, though, as a career 36.1-percent marksman, he’s more than capable. He may lack Okoro’s 225-pound frame, but he can still be deployed to guard the opposition’s top perimeter player.
All in all, with Dosunmu back in the rotation, Donovan faces a conundrum. He, Huerter, Okoro, and even Jones all make sense as the fifth starter. Ultimately, time will tell, as Donovan still has four preseason games to determine his preferred starting lineup.