Windy City Bulls set to open Saturday, without first-round pick Essengue

Heading into Friday's action, Bulls rookie Noa Essengue had yet to make his NBA debut.

This fact suggests the 6-foot-10 forward from France will be a regular with the Windy City Bulls, maybe more than any Bulls rookie of the past.

Essengue will not be in uniform, however, when the Windy City Bulls open their ninth season at Now Arena in Hoffman Estates on Saturday against Wisconsin.

On Thursday, Bulls coach Billy Donovan confirmed Essengue should see plenty of action with Windy City. Donovan's son, Billy Donovan III, is starting his second season as head coach of the G-League squad.

“I think that would be the plan,” the elder Donovan said. “We have a month mapped out for (Essengue). When he can get back with us, he'll get back with us.”

Donovan didn't divulge the reason for Essengue sticking with the big-league club this weekend. It might have something to do with the Bulls facing some challenging power forwards in Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Cleveland's Evan Mobley. Essengue could be needed if the fouls pile up.

“The biggest issue with the Windy City situation from our perspective is really more predicated on the fact that it's really hard to take a guy and just put him in a G League game,” Donovan said. “He misses shootarounds, misses practices, shows up for the game and he's just out there playing.

“He needs to understand who he's playing with on the G-League team, developing a chemistry, a bond there; going through shootarounds, understand scouting reports, game preparation, what they're doing. So when he goes down there, we want him to be down there to experience those things, not just playing in games.”

As usual, the Windy City roster will be highlighted by three two-way players, who can spend time with the NBA team. They are rookie center Lochlan Olbrich from Australia, 6-5 forward Emmanuel Miller, back for his second season with the Bulls; and 6-9 forward Trentyn Flowers.

The Bulls made a couple of bold trades before the season to acquire the rights to former lottery pick Kevin Knox and slam dunk champ Mac McClung. Knox, drafted No. 9 by the Knicks in 2018, is on the opening roster. McClung was signed by the Indiana Pacers but waived Friday, so he might return to Windy City soon.

Another familiar name on the roster is former Illini center Giorgi Bezhanishvili