Carter expects role to change under new coach
Add center Wendell Carter Jr. to the list of Bulls players who have been impressed by new coach Billy Donovan.
"First off, Billy's an amazing person," Carter said during a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. "I'm glad he's my head coach. The talks that we've had for my expectations this year are for me to be more reliable on the offensive end; allowing me to make decisions."
Last year, Carter talked about wanting to play power forward because he's a bit undersized at center. With the makeup of the Bulls' roster, that's not really feasible full-time, but Carter expects his role to change under Donovan.
"He actually came to me and told me that he wants me to be more interchangeable and learn the four position, learn the five position," Carter said. "In the talks we've had, he wants me to play a lot from the trail position, catching it at the free-throw line, making my decisions there, possibly attacking the rim from there or going dribble handoffs, picking-and-popping.
"So he's expressed all those different kind of styles of play for myself. I'm definitely excited to see how it's all going to unravel once the season gets underway."
Trades just talk:
Rumors of Wendell Carter Jr. going to Golden State for the second pick of the draft seemed a little far-fetched and Carter said Thursday he never bought in.
In theory, the Bulls would have sent out Carter and the No. 4 pick, then selected Memphis center James Wiseman at No. 2. Wiseman landed with the Warriors as expected on draft night.
"When I first saw it, I kind of knew it was BS," Carter said. "I didn't pay much attention to it. Then my family members started hitting me up about it, like, 'Man, what's going on? You going to Oakland?' I'm, like, 'Man, I feel like I'm good.' I didn't pressure the front office at all. At the end of the day, it's a business.
"But I had a lot of faith I was going to be here. I knew the coaching staff and the front office believed in me from the talks that we've had.
"So I knew I was going to be a Bull. But it's always a little anxiety when you see your name floating around as possibly being traded. But deep down in my heart, I knew I was going to be a Bull."
White knows coaches:
With a new coaching staff on board this season, Coby White was asked which assistant coach he works with the most.
"Coach (Chris) Fleming was my guy last year so he's still mostly my guy this year," White said. "But coach (Josh) Longstaff is really good, I really like him and obviously you've got the legend in Mo Cheeks, so everybody likes him.
"But coach Fleming is still my guy, he's still my workout coach and whatnot. I feel like I trust him and he's never steered me wrong."