It was a nice plan.
Then again, Alex Caruso was full of solid ideas on media day a month ago, especially when asked about protecting himself from himself.
“I’ve definitely got to be maybe smarter,” Caruso said then. “Maybe a 50/50 ball that’s going out of bounds, you might let one or two go out and save it for the postseason. But I say that now sitting in front of a microphone. When I get out there, it might be different.”
It always has been with Caruso.
That’s why coach Billy Donovan said on Monday, that while there’s not a minutes restriction on Caruso, there is a close watch of what he’s putting into each game.
“I think one of the things that’s been a little challenging for him is his minutes have greatly increased here than they had been,” Donovan said. “We’ve got to make sure that he’s productive in his minutes, and the way he plays, he’s reckless. And I say that in a very complimentary way. He puts himself into the game and he’s probably going to be susceptible to these types of things. We have to watch him. When he starts getting up in the 30-plus minutes over a period of time, I think that’s a big toll on him. Because generally his loads are, even for his number of minutes, are high because of how much he exerts in a game.”
And those minutes have a history of the outcome of the game.
In Bulls wins last season in which Caruso was healthy and playing, he averaged 27.5 minutes per game, and in losses it was 28.6 minutes per game. It was like that with the Lakers during the 2020-21 and the 2019-20 season as well.
The way Donovan sees it there is a balance to make sure that Caruso plays with fire, but not keep him out there too long and allow that fire to burn out or for him to injure himself.
“That’s what got me here,” Caruso said of playing with the intensity he brings. “That’s why the Bulls want me on the team. That’s why Billy loves what I do with my energy and my defense and how I bring other guys along. I don’t think I can change that.”
Donovan didn’t either. That’s why he snickered when reminded of what Caruso said in September about playing with less reckless abandon.
“I mean that sounds good, but I think if there’s a loose ball he’s not going to sit there and say, ‘This is probably one I’m not going to go after,’ ” Donovan said. “I want him to be who he is. He plays the game all out and he’s going to give you everything he has.”
Numbers game
Through the first two games, Donovan only went 10 deep into his rotation. That changed in the Cavaliers game, not only because Zach LaVine returned to the starting lineup, but also because Donovan was able to get Derrick Jones Jr. playing time.
How often that will continue remained an unknown, but with the medical staff watching minutes in the early portion of this season, as well as Patrick Williams struggling, Donovan told Jones he’d better stay ready.
“We’re just trying to find different combinations of guys that when they get in there play well,” Donovan said. “[Jones has] been a total pro with the way he’s handled himself.”