The team notched their third win in a row on Wednesday, beating the Charlotte Hornets 111-100 at the United Center. In the process, the Bulls’ point guard set a franchise record for the most consecutive games (9) with at least three 3-pointers.

Bulls insider K.C. Johnson asked White after the game if he knew which player’s record he surpassed.

“Maybe Ben Gordon or Kirk Hinrich?” he said.

Good guess. But the answer is Lauri Markkanen.

White has been letting it fly from beyond the arc this season, shooting a career-high 40.4% from 3-point range on a career-high 7.1 attempts per game.

“Like I said, Peter Patton [player development coach] has been a big help to me in learning my shot,” he said after the game. “I’m just shooting with confidence, and if I’m open I shoot it.”

White finished the game 3-of-7 from the 3-point line, and was one rebound shy of a double-double with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

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There’s a simple reason why Coby White attempted a season-high 13 3-pointers in the Chicago Bulls’ victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night at the United Center.

“Uh, well, because I was getting in trouble a lot for not taking them,” White said with his typically mischievous grin. “There were a couple film sessions (coach) Billy (Donovan) kind of stopped the film and said shoot the ball when I wasn’t shooting it. Everybody from my teammates to my staff to the front office was telling me, ‘Don’t pass up any shots. Shoot it.’ We don’t care if you go 0-for-10 or 0-for-15.”

Luckily for the Bulls, White tied his career-high by making eight of his 13 attempts, scoring a season-high 31 points to go along with a season-high nine rebounds and six assists.

“He was ultra-aggressive, ultra-confident, decisive. Cob was Cob. We don’t get this win without him,” DeMar DeRozan said. “He was special.”

The night continued a torrid stretch for White, who has the longest current streak in the NBA with eight games with at least three 3-pointers made. White is now shooting a career-high 40.3 percent from 3-point range on a career-high 7.1 attempts.

And this is after an extremely slow shooting start in which his percentage hovered near 25 percent as he tried to balance starting point-guard responsibilities and an improved defensive edge.

“It wasn’t really weighing on me. They all felt pretty good when I was shooting coming off my hand. They just weren’t going in,” White said. “Working with (director of player development) Peter Patton helped me a lot. I finally started to learn my shot. Before this, everybody said I could really shoot so nobody ever taught me how to learn my shot. I kind of just shot the ball. He’s been a big help in helping me learn my shot, why I miss.”

Asked what specifically Patton helped him with, White didn’t hesitate.

“I think the main thing with me was getting back rim, squaring my body up to the rim and then holding my release and holding my follow-through in the basket. I had a tendency to either snatch my follow-through or follow-through to the right,” White said. “And a lot of those times my ball would go right and those would be the times I’d miss. Those are the things I focused on.”

White may not still be a quintessential point guard. But he’s playing the best basketball of his young career.

“He definitely wanted to be the player he’s showing he is,” DeRozan said. “I worked out with Coby a lot this summer. His drive is amazing. He always asks questions. He’s always listening. He always wants to figure out how he can be better, how he can help.”

And building on last season’s strong season that led to his three-year contract in free agency, White’s work is continuing to pay dividends.

“I knew coming into the league that I had a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow. I just tried to get better every day and do what I needed to do to stay consistent,” White said. “My main thing coming into this season was I just wanted to win and play as good as we’re capable of because I love this team and love this group of guys.”

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Entering his 15^th season, DeMar DeRozan doesn’t take Opening Night lightly.

“It’s amazing, man, just to think about the longevity, to be able to play this game so long. To still be going, to still love the game, to still have motivation, the passion, everything about it,” he said following Tuesday’s practice at the Advocate Center. “I don’t look at it like I feel old. It’s more so it’s a blessing to still be playing.”

DeRozan, 34, passed the 1,000-game mark last season. His first opener came way back in 2009. Having just turned 20, his Toronto Raptors faced off against LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I was terrified as (expletive). I’m not going to lie to you,” DeRozan said. “I’ll never forget: I was walking out there and it felt really like a dream. And I remember walking on that court like I couldn’t believe I was playing against Shaq. Me being from LA, I watched Shaq my whole life. So to able to step on the same floor as Shaq made it feel so surreal, made it feel like a dream come true. And I think I even got a block that game. I blocked his shot. I just remember being terrified that I couldn’t believe I was in that moment.”

Indeed, DeRozan registered a block on an O’Neal layup attempt in the Raptors’ 10-point victory. With Andrea Bargnani, Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon providing the offensive punch, DeRozan took just six shots and scored eight points while finishing a team-high plus-11.

Suffice to say, he’ll play a slightly larger offensive role when the Chicago Bulls face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at the United Center. But the feelings and anticipation remain the same.

“It’s always exciting because that’s the first night of the journey for what’s to come—the good, the bad, the ups and downs, the heartbreak, the wins, the losses, the learning experience,” DeRozan said.

Coby White is set to play in his fifth NBA opener. Asked what he was doing during DeRozan’s NBA debut, the affable White took the bait.

“I was 9 years old,” he said. “So I don’t really remember.”

But White agrees there’s something special about Opening Night.

“There’s a lot of positive energy, positive talk going around,” he said. “Vibes are great. We’re excited.”

For Billy Donovan, the matchup offers an opportunity to face the franchise that lured him from the college coaching ranks. Donovan spent five seasons coaching the Thunder, who now employ Mark Daigneault, whom Donovan hired first at Florida in the college ranks and then again in Oklahoma City.

“I enjoyed my time there and the people I interacted with,” Donovan said.

Opening Night only counts as one game. But DeRozan wants to use it to start building what he hopes the Bulls’ identity will be.

“We have to be resilient. We can’t show bad body language when a quarter isn’t going our way, a play isn’t going our way,” DeRozan said. “We have to be one of those teams that is resilient at home or on the road.”

The journey begins Wednesday.

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The two-time All-Star gave a cheeky answer when Bulls Insider K.C. Johnson asked him about the Raiders 30-12 loss to the Bears in Week 7.

“Don’t talk to me about that K.C.,” Lavine said. “Glad that the Bears won another game, just really mad it was against my Raiders.”

LaVine said he took Coby White and Jevon Carter along for the outing.

“Got to sit between two Chicago guys, and they got to talk mess to me all game, and it was great,” he said.

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Coby White’s strong preseason debut of 14 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals in a team-high 23 minutes moved beyond the box score.

The game continued to display the growth and confidence White has as a leader.

This process began last year, when White became a more boisterous personality inside the locker room in front of reporters and, behind the scenes, a more vocal presence.

“Being a young guy, you fall into this thing of, ‘I’m young.’ Especially on a team full of guys are older who have won, been in the playoffs a bunch of times. AC [Alex Caruso] has been a champion. You get that mindset of, ‘They have more experience than me. They know more than me. My opinion doesn’t matter,’” White said following Tuesday’s practice at the Advocate Center. “I didn’t know how much guys respected my opinion—and my connection with every guy on the team—until last year. I’m continuing to grow into it. And it feels natural for me at this point.”

It’s showing.

“I’m really happy with him,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He always looks at himself internally with how he can get better. There’s a defiance to him. And I say that in the most respectful way. He’s not defiant to coaching. He’s not defiant to his teammates. He’s defiant to figuring something out.

“He’s never going to quit. He’s going to look at ways to improve. I think every aspect of his game, he’s gotten better. I think he’s gotten a lot more cerebral and has a better understanding than when he was a rookie, which is normal. And I think he has found his voice. He has no problem saying something when guys aren’t doing something the right way.

“My first year here, he was probably trying to figure things out and didn’t have a lot to say. Winning is important to him. Leading is important to him. If he continues to flourish in those areas, it will serve him and our team well.”

Beyond his natural maturation that happens when you enter the NBA as a teenager and now have four seasons of myriad experiences behind him, White credited assistant coach Chris Fleming and Zach LaVine for helping him find his voice.

“He’s been with me personally since I got drafted,” White said of Fleming. “He always believed in me no matter what. But he also didn’t just tell me what I wanted to hear. He told me what I needed to hear. And he always pushed me to be more vocal.

“At the beginning, when he was saying be more vocal, I was thinking more (on the court terminology). But as I got older, it’s more about being a leader and commanding the team, talking to guys.”

White and LaVine represent the only two players the current managerial regime inherited from the previous regime. Both have signed new deals since the managerial change. So their bond is real.

“Zach has seen me grow up in the NBA. He’s been here since I got drafted. Me and him, our relationship goes beyond basketball. I’m grateful for that relationship,” White said. “He has always believed in me and pushed me and given me confidence.

“He sensed, since we’ve been here the longest, when I’m down or when I’m up. When things were tough for me, he would always come to me and say little stuff like, ‘Keep your head, bro. You’re good. Remember how talented you are and what got you here.’ He’s always been like a big brother to me and someone, honestly, that I look up to. Not only on the basketball court but how he lives his life—how he takes care of his son. He’s someone I can go to in a time of need.”

LaVine noted how White often is already at the Advocate Center on the nights LaVine returns for extra work.

“Hard work doesn’t fail. So you’re gonna see the progress,” LaVine said. “I think he’s just really confident right now. He’s playing well. He’s moving and acting like this is what I want to do. He’s confident in that role. And we’re supporting him.”

That role, at least in the preseason opener, is starting point guard. It’s a position White held before, during his second season in the NBA. That season featured growing pains, but White stayed the course.

And while the starting point guard competition is nowhere near over, White knows what claiming it would mean.

“I was talking to my brother the other day and it’s like, there aren’t many times you get multiple opportunities to become a starter in this league,” White said. “I started my second year and haven’t started since. For me, it’s just trying to take advantage of it and don’t take it for granted. It’s a blessing.”

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Patrick Williams asked the question we were all thinking during his White’s press conference on Monday. Is “Froby” making a permanent return this season?

“I think this season I’m gonna try to go back to my roots,” White said. “Just try to go back to the high school Coby. That’s the vibe I want right now. That’s the wave I’m on. That could change tomorrow.”

White’s rocked several different looks over the years, as Williams mentioned leading up to his question.

He’s rocked the afro, short cut with a fade, ponytail, braids. You name it. White’s worn it. But this season, White is bringing back a vintage version of his hair.

On the court, he’ll be engaging in a three-man point guard competition against Jevon Carter and Ayo Dosunmu for the starting point guard spot.

“I think it’s going to be competition, fierce competition. It’s going to be a lot of good guards,” Arturas Karnišovas told The Score hosts Dan Bernstein, Laurence Holmes and Leila Rahimi. “That’s mentality we’re going into training camp (with.) I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be hard for (coach) Billy (Donovan).”

Last season, White started just two games, ceding his starting spot to Dosunmu. Patrick Beverley took the reigns once the Bulls signed him after being bought out by the Orlando Magic.

So, White has a chance to earn his spot in the starting rotation back. But if it’s any indication with his hairstyle, he’s ready for whatever obstacles come his way.

“I’m just going with the flow right now,” White said.

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Yes, there’s the money—$60 million to be exact. And the security of three seasons in a city where his family is comfortable doesn’t hurt either.

But ask Nikola Vučević for his feelings about re-signing with the Chicago Bulls before even hitting unrestricted free agency, and his first answer is about on-the-court matters.

“I felt like there was a lot of work undone,” Vučević said Monday at Bulls media day at the Advocate Center. “I felt like this team had a lot more to show and improve on. So it was a lot of stuff I discussed with a lot of guys around the team when I was making my decision.

“I don’t know if we’ll get to it. But I felt like we had to give it another shot. I just felt like we didn’t show our best and we all still have a little bit of that chip on the shoulder to have a better season, play better as a team and that was a big part of my decision.

“Chicago traded for me. They brought me here. They gave up a lot for me. And so I felt a responsibility to come back and help the team do better than we did. I don’t know what that will be in the end. But that’s just kind of how I felt.

“Obviously, I felt very comfortable here with the front office, the coaching staff and especially my teammates. A lot of guys, I’ve become very close with. And I just felt right.”

As for Coby White, his three-year, $36 million deal, which has a chance to be worth $40 million if incentives are hit, carried significance beyond the court.

White and Zach LaVine represent the only two players remaining on the Bulls who were inherited by the current managerial regime. In 2022, management showed its faith in Zach LaVine by signing him to a maximum contract extension.

This offseason, management reached a verbal agreement with White on the opening night of free agency.

“Obviously, it’s life-changing money,” White said. “It’s a blessing that I get to sign my second contract. Not a lot of guys get to say that in this league. Especially signing with the team that I started with, with everything this organization has went through.

“With all the changes, I’m still here, the team I got drafted to. When I sat back and actually thought about it and it sunk in, it was a crazy feeling. To look back on all the years and all the changes that’s been made, I’m still here. I’m just excited to be back. Me and Zach, he’s been with me every step of the way of my career, so I’m excited to be back with him too.”

Now that the business of basketball is over, White and Vučević are focused on what they can do to help the Bulls improve off last season’s disappointing 40-42 season.

The Bulls have talked about utilizing Vučević’s passing ability more this season, using him as a hub for varied offensive looks centered on player movement in the halfcourt sets. Vučević played 82 games for the first time in his 12-year career last season, shooting 34.9 percent from 3-point range as well.

“I’m most efficient, most comfortable inside and playing closer to the basket. But when there are opportunities for me to step out and shoot it, it can help our team out in a lot of different ways,” Vučević said. “Whether that’s me shooting the 3 or if I do make one or two of the bigs start closing out to me more aggressively and it opens opportunities for me to drive. Or if I get them out of the paint, it opens up opportunities for others to drive.

“So for me specifically it’s just about finding that right balance and not being outside too much and not being inside too much where I’m clogging the paint for everybody.”

White said his offseason focused on overall improvement, with an emphasis on shooting off the dribble. He is in the mix to start at point guard along with Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter.

“I just want to grow and continue to get better. The biggest thing is to just be more consistent. Play the same way day in and day out,” White said. “Obviously you’re going to have bad nights here and there. Try to eliminate all the bad nights, especially the consecutive bad nights.

“In my career, I’ve been labeled as an up-and-down player. And to a certain extent, that’s kind of true. Some nights you don’t know which Coby you’re going to get. So for me, I just want to be more consistent. And that started this summer with the mental approach.”

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Chicago Bulls executives Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley visited the WSCR-AM 670 studio on Wednesday and said the starting point guard will be determined by a training camp competition.

“I think it’s going to be competition, fierce competition. It’s going to be a lot of good guards,” Karnišovas told The Score hosts Dan Bernstein, Laurence Holmes and Leila Rahimi. “That’s mentality we’re going into training camp (with.) I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be hard for (coach) Billy (Donovan).”

Management received a verbal commitment from Jevon Carter and re-signed White on the opening night of free agency. Later in the offseason, Dosunmu, who held the position last season until Patrick Beverley arrived via the buyout market, re-signed.

The Bulls have said Lonzo Ball will miss his second straight season as he attempts a comeback from his troublesome left knee, leaving the position open.

Earlier this summer, in an appearance on NBC Sports Chicago’s Bulls Talk Podcast, Eversley detailed what made Carter attractive to the Bulls.

“He brings toughness, grit, a competitive spirit to our group that we felt we needed to address. And we’ve done that,” Eversley told NBC Sports Chicago. “Not to mention, he’s a 40 percent 3-point shooter. We’ve talked a lot about adding shooting.”

Indeed, shooting and having a more cohesive group served as central themes of management’s appearance on The Score. The Bulls were the only team in the NBA last season not to attempt at least 30 3-point attempts per game.

“We were lowest 3-point rate, lowest 3-pointers made last year. We’re trying to change our shooting profile and play a little faster, move the ball better,” Karnišovas said on The Score. “Playing a little faster is going to create more 3-point attempts because a lot of 3-point attempts created in our league are on the fast break. Those are open 3s. The way you create 3s is you gotta run or you gotta get to the paint. We didn’t do a very good job last year getting to the paint.”

Adding Torrey Craig in free agency as well as Carter also could help the Bulls’ 3-point shooting. Those and second-round pick Julian Phillips are the only two additions to a team that will be headed to Nashville, Tenn., next week for training camp.

The Bulls haven’t held training camp outside of Chicago since Jerry Krause’s first season as general manager when the franchise traveled to Beloit College in Wisconsin.

“Everybody’s together,” Eversley said on The Score. “We’re going to go to practice together. We’re going to eat together. We’re going to have team functions together. We’re going to program the week so they do everything together. From Day One, find a common purpose and build up from that.

“I thought we had a pretty good run last year from the All-Star break. We were 14-9, incredible comeback against Toronto in the play-in game, up five late against Miami. And we all saw what Miami did. And so it kind of speaks to the parity that Artūras is talking about.

“But what we learned from our team when we had our exit interviews was they were a team but they didn’t really feel like a team. It’s almost like you just show up, you go to work, you go home and you show up the next day. They love to play. And our coaches love to coach. We were a team, but they didn’t feel like they were really a team. That is something to us that was important to us in the offseason to address. And we’re addressing it from Day One when we get to Nashville.”

With a point guard competition beginning then as well.

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Even with less than two weeks until training camp, the Zach LaVine rumors won’t die. On to your questions.

Are the Bulls in the Damian Lillard sweepstakes? — Brian H.

In July, the teams at least engaged in preliminary conversations, which is detailed in this piece. And the sentiment of that piece regarding Zach LaVine still applies. Essentially, there always seems to be internal hurdles for LaVine to clear to be widely accepted as the lead option on a championship contending team. And thus, he consistently lands in trade rumors.

Or, as LaVine himself put it in a July interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole before he played in the American Century Championship golf tournament: “When there’s smoke, there’s fire. Every once in awhile, you see a little bit too much smoke. I’ve been with the Bulls for seven years. I’ve had my name in trade talks. You don’t love it, but you understand the business. I’ve been traded before.”

PHLY_Sports’ Kyle Neubeck upped the ante late Wednesday by saying on his outlet’s podcast that the Bulls “might be trying to move LaVine as part of a multi-team deal just to see if they can get into the Lillard sweepstakes.” Multiple league sources indicated throughout the offseason that the Trail Blazers showed little interest in acquiring LaVine directly, mostly because he doesn’t match their rebuilding path and commitment to a young backcourt of Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons.

With the quiet weeks of August and early September in the rearview mirror and training camp fast approaching, the Lillard situation is intensifying. And the Trail Blazers are under no obligation to trade Lillard to his preferred destination of Miami. If the Bulls were to trade for Lillard, a contract extension for DeMar DeRozan, who shares Lillard’s agent, would certainly follow. (It may happen anyway, obviously.)

That would mean the Bulls would be tied to roughly $115 million for three players in Lillard, DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic once Lillard’s two-year, $121.8 million extension kicks in for the 2025-26 season. Trading LaVine to clear the decks for Lillard might also cost at least another asset in the form of a young player like Patrick Williams or Coby White or first-round picks. So you’d have to be all in on the idea of that Big Three, particularly since the Bulls still owe the Spurs a first-round pick from the DeRozan acquisition.

The next two weeks will be telling regarding how much the Bulls value LaVine.

With the overall depressing Chicago sports landscape these days and on a gloomy rainy day, I figured why not buy some stock in Team #Continuity and try to cheer up Bulls nation. There are plenty of reasons for optimism toward this team. They addressed their biggest weaknesses this summer with good value free agency signings and continued to work the early part of the second round for potential diamonds in the rough.  For the first time since Ball went down, the Bulls have depth at PG (if not an elite option), on the wing and at center.  Maybe this is the season that Donovan and Co. finally put together an above average offense and defense at the same time with the Big 3, and maybe the team can maintain its stellar health from last year. Maybe Pat, Coby, or Ayo make the jump this season; heck, maybe all of them do! If all of the stars align completely, is it totally impossible to see them improve by 10 games? 50-32 seems like a lofty goal and, sure, a more modest improvement (if any) is much more likely. But at the dawn of the 10th season since we last won a second-round playoff game, why not raise our collective hopes to insanely high levels? — Nick P.

I’ve made this point on our Bulls Talk Podcast. I feel like the 2021-22 Bulls won some wild “clutch” games—defined as within five points or less with 5 minutes to play—and the 2022-23 Bulls lost some wild clutch games. So I’m firmly in the camp of this team falling somewhere between those 46 and 40 victories. Since I’m generally an optimist, I’m going with 44-38. That’s assuming good health.

The Eastern Conference is filled with parity. The division got tougher, too. (I love what Indiana is building, and they have one of the most overlooked elite coaches in the game IMO.) I do agree with you that, on paper, the Bulls possess a ton of depth. Donovan and his staff possess myriad lineup options and combinations.

Which player are you most intrigued by early in the season and why? — Matt A.

Coby White. I think he’s poised to have an extremely solid season, and I’m intrigued to see his continued growth as a two-way player. By most all accounts, he had his best season last season despite posting his lowest-scoring average. He put in his offseason work. And between the organization making re-signing him a priority and his off-court personality blossoming last season, him taking another jump wouldn’t surprise.

What are the odds of Billy Donovan involving more movement in his offensive schemes? — Jason

High. How many times did you hear Donovan talk about less isolation during training camp last season? The word he opted for at the time, and later refined, was “randomness.”

All coaches seek ball and player movement. And Donovan loves playing up-tempo, too, which is why he sometimes opts for small ball. You’ll hear a lot about playing with pace during training camp this season. But also: Players resort to their strengths. And when the Bulls really need a hoop, DeRozan prefers to play slower, get to his spots and score in the midrage. So there has to be a balance.

Why not trade DeMar DeRozan and see what Patrick Williams can do with a bigger role? He will never develop as the fourth option on a team. I know DeMar provides value in a lot of ways, but his game is outdated. He’s a midrange shooter in a 3-point shooting league and he plays no defense. We need to see what Patrick can do before we give up on him too early and watch him flourish like Lauri Markkanen is now doing in Utah. Your thoughts? — Emir M.

I’m not a believer that these scenarios fall in the either/or department. Some do. I don’t.

I thought Williams developed quite a bit last season, which, essentially, was his second season given the significant injury which clouded his second season. He can develop with DeRozan on the roster. And, in fact, DeRozan helps with his development by taking him under his wing for offseason workouts and the like.

Now, whether to trade DeRozan or not is a separate discussion to me. And if the Bulls are faltering at the February 2024 deadline, I have to believe this iteration of the roster will finally be tweaked.

Do you think it’s better for Patrick Williams’ development if he plays mostly with the second unit where he has more offensive freedom? I see Torrey Craig being a perfect fit with the first unit and he knows how to navigate not being the main option and playing his role.  I believe Patrick’s preferred play style his him on ball more. — Victor D.

This, to me, is one of the biggest storylines of training camp. I thought Billy Donovan and his staff expertly managed Williams’ move to the second unit last season, and I think it benefitted Williams and the team.

I agree with you that Craig is one of those “seamless fit” players who would serve as a wonderful complementary piece with the first unit. But he also will be solid no matter what role he fills.

Is it important for Williams’ confidence and growth to have the prestige of starting? This is a question I’m sure the coaching staff has asked and answered in advance of camp. One possible scenario would be to start Williams but stagger his minutes so that he’s also playing a solid portion of his minutes with the second unit and against opposing second units. Stay tuned.

Can the Bulls trade Lonzo Ball this season? Will they even consider it? — Dan G.

Before answering this intriguing question, let’s make sure to acknowledge the obligatory fact that everybody is pulling for Ball to make a comeback. Injuries are the worst.

With that out of the way, from a business perspective, let’s say that Ball is unfortunately unable to return. He has a $21.4 million player option for 2024-25 that he surely will exercise. But if his injury is declared career-ending, the Bulls can apply to have that salary wiped from their salary cap and luxury tax sheets. Do they utilize this to their advantage or look to use his soon-to-be-expired contract as an asset in a trade, almost like salary cap relief? My sense is nothing happens this season because Ball is working hard to try to return.

The Bulls still don’t have a true point guard and we know the significance of Lonzo Ball for this team when he was healthy. They were one of the top teams in the league. I love Coby White and think he’s going to have a breakout year. I also like the Jevon Carter signing. But they aren’t true point guards. Do you think the Bulls would consider using the $10 million exception they have available from Lonzo’s injury on Kyle Lowly should he become available once Miami trades for Damian Lillard? Does that $10 million count against the cap? I feel like Lowry would be a great fit playing 25 minutes a game on this team that is guard-heavy but light on point guards. — Muly S.

Lowry is due $29.7 million this season. So several steps, including a buyout, would have to happen for this scenario even to be considered.

Separately, that the $10 million indeed counts against the salary cap isn’t the issue because it’s called a disabled player exception for a reason. You can use exceptions to surpass the cap, which the Bulls have. But the salary of whatever player is potentially added counts for luxury tax purposes, and therein lies the rub. The Bulls, by virtue of using a portion of their midlevel exception to sign Carter, are hard capped at $172.3 million. Currently, they have roughly $165.5 million of committed salary. So as currently constructed, they only can use a shade under $7 million of the disabled player exception, which is just above the remaining portion of the midlevel exception they possess.

What is Billy Donovan’s biggest challenge, maintaining good defensive performance or improving attacking production? — Bulls Nation Brasil

I think it’s the latter. The Bulls finished fifth in defensive rating last season and added tough-minded defenders in Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig. They finished 24th in offensive rating, which shouldn’t happen for a team with such gifted offensive players. Carter and Craig, on paper, add shooting and smart, quick decision-making offensively. But it obviously doesn’t fall on just them. The offense needs to score off defense and not become so predictable in the halfcourt setting.

What are the “stakes” of this season? What outcomes would be considered a success and what would be considered a failure—both in your eyes and the organization’s? — Steve P.

I dislike disappointing you, but my stakes are centered on mundane things like flights running on time and the like. But obviously you mean from a team performance standpoint, so here goes.

In my eyes, a successful season would be a top-six playoff seed and winning a playoff series. This isn’t a championship team. So while that may seem like modest expectations, they represent this team reaching its full potential to me. A failure would be another non-playoff season.

I look forward to hearing what the organization’s goals are on Media Day. Last season, management said it expected improvement over the previous season. That didn’t happen. So how does management frame this season? We’ll find out soon enough.

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The Chicago Bulls point guard has purchased a home on one of the most coveted blocks in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

The 7,000 square-foot residence, located on North Cleveland Avenue, sold for $4.8 million and features six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. Built in 2017, the property was “designed with an eye toward classical architecture and the holistic integration of fine details with comfortable living,” according to the property listing.

“The second floor offers an east facing ensuite bedroom, a handsome paneled library/office with Ralph Lauren fixtures and a luxurious primary suite with fireplace, two walk-in closets; and a spacious ensuite bath with radiant heated floors,” the listing reads.

The five-story home also features an elevator, a 110-inch projection screen and a 600 bottle temperature-controlled wine room.

On July 7, White re-signed with the Bulls on a three-year contract potentially worth $40 million.

The listing is represented by Carrie McCormick with @propeties Christie’s International Real Estate.

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Artūras Karnišovas mentioned his desire to re-sign White earlier in the offseason. Karnišovas answered “absolutely” when asked if he’d like to retain White back in April.

“He’s gotten better in every aspect of his game. I think that’s a good example of a player that’s developing and taking strides, from decision-making to defense to 3-point shooting,” Karnišovas said in mid-April. “Especially in the second half of the season, he’s been really good for us and has been key in a lot of wins. So he’s gotten really better.”

After the 2023 NBA draft, the Bulls announced they do not expect Lonzo Ball to return for next season. This could mean, for all intents and purposes, White will become the Bulls’ starting point guard for the 2023-24 season, although the imminent addition of Jevon Carter gives the coaching staff another option.

Asked in mid-April about his confidence in White as a potential starting point guard, coach Billy Donovan said this: “I’ve got a lot of confidence in Coby. And I think I’ve said this during the course of the season: The growth that he’s made from maybe a shortened rookie year with COVID to his second year, third year now, it’s been pretty impressive. He’s a lot more equipped, I’d say, today to be maybe in that role than he was a few years ago. So I’ve got a lot of confidence in Coby and just the way he’s gotten better. And like I said, he deserves all the credit. He’s the one who put all the work in.”

White averaged 9.7 points and 2.8 assists on 44.3 percent shooting from the field and 37.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. His shooting percentage from last season matched a career-high; his 3-point percentage finished the second-best season of his career.

White’s game has improved visibly since the Bulls drafted him with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. Since, he’s improved his ball handling, decision-making and defensive prowess. He’s taken on multiple roles since joining the Bulls, accepting any position the Bulls place him and playing to his best ability.

Last season, White predominantly came off the bench, juxtaposed to his second- and third-year seasons when he started 54 and 17 games, respectively. Now, he should have the green light to potentially start as many games as he can play next season.

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Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich

First, the Chicago Bulls retained Coby White, the one who sank 128 of 344 3-point attempts last season, good for 37.2 percent.

Then, the Bulls added Proviso West product Jevon Carter, the guard who made 142 of 377 3-point attempts last season. That’s a tidy 42.1 percent.

The roster isn’t finalized after the first day of NBA free agency. But for a team intent on improving its shooting, management got off to a good start.

Depending on the status of Ayo Dosunmu’s qualifying offer and pending restricted free agency, the Bulls are at 11 or 12 guaranteed contracts. They still need to add size—-unless they want to grind Alex Caruso, who suddenly is apparently a full-time power forward, into dust—and perhaps another shooter.

But Carter’s pending addition will do nothing to hurt a top-five defense—he’s strong at the point of attack, particularly with screen navigation—while adding shooting.

For all the offseason emphasis on addressing shooting, management and the coaching staff haven’t forgotten about defense. In fact, league sources said preliminary talks on a Caruso-for-Tyus Jones trade last season didn’t advance before the Memphis Grizzlies traded Jones to Washington in the three-team deal that netted the Celtics Kristaps Porzingis.

One can see Carter and Caruso trying to replicate the point-of-attack defense that turns into offense that the Bulls briefly had when Lonzo Ball was healthy. Sources said the Bulls haven’t ruled out applying for a disabled player exception at some point for Ball, whom executive vice president Artūras Karnišovas said isn’t expected to play this season.

So it’s possible they could add a roughly $10 million exception to their roster planning at an unknown time, although, with Carter’s imminent signing, they are hard-capped at $172 million.

Could they get creative with a sign-and-trade for Grant Williams? He’d be an ideal addition. But if the Caruso-for-Jones talks were a non-starter, finding the right assets to appease Boston could prove difficult.

It’s possible—again, depending on Dosunmu’s status—the Bulls round out the roster with minimum exceptions. Depending on who those might be, that would essentially mean management swapped out Patrick Beverley for Carter for a 40-42 team that didn’t exit the play-in.

That would certainly mean there are internal expectations for another jump from White, not to mention Patrick Williams and even Dalen Terry. But they’re not the stars. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are.

While trade rumors never seem to leave LaVine, the Bulls’ asking price always has been and remains high. NBC Sports Chicago reported in February that the New York Knicks never were a serious suitor and reported on NBA Draft night that they aren’t considered one moving forward over injury history and contract size concerns.

It’s certainly trending towards giving this core one more shot. Perhaps a pivot would be more seriously considered at next February’s trade deadline if the season hasn’t borne fruit by then.

Those decisions are down the road for now. Free agency is just getting started. By landing Carter, the Bulls are on the board—with more work to be done.

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Artūras Karnišovas mentioned his desire to re-sign White earlier in the offseason. Karnišovas answered “absolutely” when asked if he’d like to retain White back in April.

“He’s gotten better in every aspect of his game. I think that’s a good example of a player that’s developing and taking strides, from decision-making to defense to 3-point shooting,” Karnišovas said in mid-April. “Especially in the second half of the season, he’s been really good for us and has been key in a lot of wins. So he’s gotten really better.”

After the 2023 NBA draft, the Bulls announced they do not expect Lonzo Ball to return for next season. This could mean, for all intents and purposes, White will become the Bulls’ starting point guard for the 2023-24 season, although the imminent addition of Jevon Carter gives the coaching staff another option.

Asked in mid-April about his confidence in White as a potential starting point guard, coach Billy Donovan said this: “I’ve got a lot of confidence in Coby. And I think I’ve said this during the course of the season: The growth that he’s made from maybe a shortened rookie year with COVID to his second year, third year now, it’s been pretty impressive. He’s a lot more equipped, I’d say, today to be maybe in that role than he was a few years ago. So I’ve got a lot of confidence in Coby and just the way he’s gotten better. And like I said, he deserves all the credit. He’s the one who put all the work in.”

White averaged 9.7 points and 2.8 assists on 44.3 percent shooting from the field and 37.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. His shooting percentage from last season matched a career-high; his 3-point percentage finished the second-best season of his career.

White’s game has improved visibly since the Bulls drafted him with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. Since, he’s improved his ball handling, decision-making and defensive prowess. He’s taken on multiple roles since joining the Bulls, accepting any position the Bulls place him and playing to his best ability.

Last season, White predominantly came off the bench, juxtaposed to his second- and third-year seasons when he started 54 and 17 games, respectively. Now, he should have the green light to potentially start as many games as he can play next season.

Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.

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