Billy Donovan wasn’t quite sure why Coby White has been so inconsistent in the shooting department lately.
The Bulls coach had his theories, he even offered up a few solutions, but as far as the exact issue with the third-year guard? That remained a head-scratcher.
White did have a huge impact in the loss in New Orleans last week, scoring 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting, as well as 5-for-8 from three-point range, but the two games previous to that showcase against the Pelicans, and the two since have been dismal.
The former North Carolina product scored just two points in the Toronto win, five against Milwaukee, and then followed up New Orleans by going scoreless in Cleveland and putting in just six against New York.
Even with his game against the Pelicans factored in, White entered the Wizards game shooting 14-for-42 (33%) from the field in his last five contests, as well as 6-for-23 (26%) from three.
“We want him to be aggressive, we want him to attack,” Donovan said. “In fairness to Coby a lot of his role this year has changed, and the things that he’s gone through physically. I give him credit in that he’s tried to keep his head in there even though things have changed for him, where maybe there hasn’t been that level of consistency for him just because game-to-game our team has changed. He’s the one that’s being impacted by that in a lot of ways.”
White has been thrown in and out of the starting lineup throughout the season, especially when DeMar DeRozan needed a breather and Zach LaVine was injured. The No. 7 overall pick from the 2019 NBA Draft has also seen his role change from rotation to rotation, sometimes playing with the ball in his hands and other times playing off the ball.
But this is also Year 3 for White, and considering the Bulls can start making a decision on his future with the organization this upcoming summer, it’s pretty much sink or swim these days.
Especially on nights like Monday, when the Bulls bench had very little going, getting outscored by New York’s bench 28-11.
“I’m not making excuses for him at all,” Donovan continued. “I think he’s made some positive strides from last year to this year defensively. And he’s still got to keep doing that. It’s important for him because I think when he gets his defense in there and we can get out in transition, the ball can find him. But we want him to be aggressive, want him to play downhill, want him to take his shots.”
Earn it
Donovan made it very clear on Tuesday that he won’t just be handing Patrick Williams minutes because he was a No. 4 pick overall. The forward has to earn them.
Williams has struggled since returning from left wrist surgery that cost him most of this season, and with everything at stake for the Bulls over the remaining six games, his coach wants to pick the right spots to play him. A lot of that depends on Williams.
“We’ve got to get him to be aggressive with his minutes,” Donovan said. “I’m just not going to put him out there for 25 or 30 minutes just for the sake of doing that. For the minutes he gets we need all-out Patrick.
“With young players there’s a very, very fine line of just giving a guy something without them earning it, and also not giving them the opportunity to grow, either. I’m not one of these guys that think you just take a young player and throw him out there.”
