Chicago Bulls say they welcome new Eastern Conference challenges posed by Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics

The Chicago Bulls opened a new season during Monday’s media day ahead of a first-ever off-site training camp, which will take place this week in Nashville, Tenn. But the biggest NBA news of the week happened 90 miles up the road in Milwaukee, where the Bucks landed Damian Lillard in a blockbuster trade that shifts the dynamics of the entire Eastern Conference.

With the Boston Celtics adding Jrue Holiday as a result of the Bucks’ trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, the top two teams in the conference are cemented into an even stronger position.

Ahead of his third season in Chicago, All-Star DeMar DeRozan welcomed the new challenge.

“I love it,” DeRozan said. “You gotta get more hungry, understanding you want to go against those big teams like that and compete. You want to be ready, you want to be ready and prepared, you want to try and put in all the effort you need to be ready for those moments because that should bring the best out of you every single night.

”To me, I’m looking forward to it, it’s exciting, it’s fun. I love it from a competitive standpoint and from a fan standpoint.”

Keeping pace with the rest of the rebuilt East will be key for the Bulls, who bring back 13 players from the 2022-23 roster.

For Bulls newcomer and Proviso East product Jevon Carter, the increased volume throughout the Eastern Conference still isn’t loud enough to reach Chicago.

“I don’t really care,” Carter said. “I’m a Chicago Bull. I’m not really thinking about Boston or Milwaukee.”

DeRozan’s extension looms large

Executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas confirmed the Bulls and DeRozan’s team have opened conversations around a four-year contract extension. The potential to sign DeRozan through 2028 will be a major factor in the Bulls’ approach to the season.

DeRozan previously said he hopes to retire in Chicago during an interview with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, but he avoided specifics surrounding extension conversations Monday.

“My agent, he deals with that,” DeRozan said. “I tell him to leave me the hell alone and I focus on my five kids and my regular-day life.”

Karnišovas was similarly cagey about the topic, saying that he wouldn’t discuss ongoing contract discussions. But he emphasized the importance of DeRozan on the Bulls organization: “He loves Chicago. Chicago loves him back.”

Point guard battle begins

With Lonzo Ball all but shut down for the year, coach Billy Donovan will use the preseason to test out options at point guard, although he emphasized a willingness to keep the position fluid throughout the season.

DeRozan jokingly threw his hat in the ring, but the position battle is mostly narrowed down to three players: Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and new signee Carter.

Each player brings their own strengths. Carter is more experienced running the point, Dosunmu already logged plenty of time in the position during his rookie season and White made exceptional growth as a ballhandler and playmaker last season.

“These guys are going to battle it out,” LaVine said. “They are a bunch of dogs. We’ve been here early the last couple of weeks and these guys are battling and playing high-level basketball. Whoever can run the team the best is the one who comes out the winner of the point guard spot, but I think we’re in a good spot either way with the starting unit and backups.”

Patrick Williams is not a lock for starting power forward

The point guard position battle was expected, but another starting role also seems to be on the table — power forward, a slot that was supposed to be locked down by fourth-year forward Patrick Williams.

Donovan would not commit to Williams as the outright starting power forward after he previously moved the former No. 4 draft pick back into a secondary role for the latter half of the 2022-23 season. At the time, Donovan emphasized that this move was not a demotion and Williams went on to play some of his best basketball alongside a younger secondary unit.

Will he remain lower in the rotation this season? That’s a question Williams will have to answer in the preseason.

“Patrick has to play an integral role to our team and integral minutes,” Donovan said. “We want to put all our guys in a position where they can be successful.”

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