Call it the next phase in the education of Coby White.
This is the part where the rookie actually starts playing some point guard.
“As you guys know, we’re taking this very methodically with Coby,’’ coach Jim Boylen said on Monday. “[Earlier in the year] I didn’t give him a whole bunch of titles, or he’s going to be this or be that. He’s going to come out and play basketball, and I think he’s done that pretty well for the first 23, 24 games.
“With our adjustment to the starting lineup, where our primary ball-handler in the second group [Kris Dunn] went to the first group, we adjusted in the second group where I think he needs to take more of a lead guard dominant ball-handling role. I think it’s a good time for it, I think it fits. He’s ready for it.’’
Considering the Bulls drafted White No. 7 overall out of North Carolina last June, under the premise that he was a point guard, yeah, a “good time for it’’ sounds about right.
They gave White point guard duties during Summer League, and it was a very mixed bag. His decision making was a big question mark, as well as ability to see the entire floor.
According to Boylen, however, White had been showing improvement in practices lately, so they let him loose in Miami.
In his 32 minutes of work – not all in the lead guard role – White did finish with eight assists and three turnovers.
“I think he’s played enough NBA games now to at least understand how the game works, what’s important, and I thought he did a good job [in Miami],’’ Boylen said. “I thought he made good plays. So I’m excited for him. His speed is an asset, and if we can get some shooting around him in that second unit I think it will be a good unit for us again.’’
White’s emergence as a point guard would be bigger than just helping out the second unit, however.
If he proves he can do it at a high level as the year goes on, it would fill a huge hole for the organization moving forward.
Tomas Satoransky has been a solid addition, but is a combo guard forced into NBA starting guard duties, and Dunn is also better served as a defensive irritant off the bench.
White could be the scoring point guard that the Bulls need, and there’s only one way to find out.
“That’s one of the reasons why from the start I didn’t put that on him,’’ Boylen explained of the timing of the decision. “I’ve seen that situation go bad, so we’ll work our way through those times. Decision making and opportunities for him to score, but also opportunities for him to create. We’d like to play fast in that second group. Overall, we’d like to, but in that second group, and we’ll keep working at it.
“What I talk about [with White] is reading the coverage. A quarterback knows where his guys are. What he’s doing is reading the coverage. A point guard should have an understanding of where our guys are, and that’s why spacing is so important. You read the coverage and make the appropriate play.’’
Still on the mend
The hope is to have Chandler Hutchison start to take contact in practice sooner than later, but until the injured forward does that his timetable to return remains up in the air.
Hutchison has been on the shelf for the last week with a bruised right shoulder.
“When he gets a contact practice we’ll let you know how much closer he is,’’ Boylen said. “But he’s not ready for a contact practice yet.’’
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December 10, 2019 at 09:18AM
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The Bulls have decided it’s time for Coby White to be a point guard - Chicago Sun-Times
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