Billy Donovan started Javonte Green over Patrick Williams in Friday night’s exhibition victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Just don’t call it a demotion.
“To me, it’s a preseason game. I don’t view it that way. I don’t think Patrick does either. The last thing I would call it would be a demotion,” the Chicago Bulls’ coach said. “Patrick was the fourth player taken in the draft. That’s not his fault. He’s here to help our team in any way he can help our team, whether he comes off the bench or starts.”
In Donovan’s eyes, the move is an experiment on many levels---to see how Green’s energy impacted the starting unit, to see how Williams fared as perhaps more of a lead option with the second unit, particularly since Donovan is using a 10-man rotation now and not using DeMar DeRozan with reserves.
“I thought both guys played very, very well,” Donovan said.
Williams scored 11 points in 19 minutes. Green scored 15 points in 23 minutes.
“Javonte with that group brings a lot of energy,” Donovan said. “He just makes things happen, hustle plays, loose balls, offensive rebounds, getting out in transition. He’ll drive it, find an open man. He’s really a high energy guy with whoever he’s playing with. When you put Javonte out there, you know what you’re going to get.
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“Patrick is certainly more than capable of being a starter. Right now, just looking at different combinations of guys. We have to make decisions that are best for our team. We have to look at the totality of the team and not just Patrick Williams.”
Donovan understood the line of postgame questioning because of the optics. Williams is the fourth overall pick from the 2020 draft and has struggled at times with consistent aggressiveness, particularly playing alongside talented and high-usage offensive players like Zach LaVine and DeRozan.
“A lot of times with the first unit, Zach and DeMar are All-Stars. I feel like and the team feels like the best shot is for the ball to be in their hands. And we’re trying to set screens for them and try to get them open,” Williams said. “They’ll always make the right play if they’re doubled and don’t have a good shot. But they’re All-Stars. To play with him is to help them get a groove. And when they play better, we play better.
“In that second group, whoever gets hot has it. You just play basketball. If you’re open, shoot it.”
Donovan consistently has supported Williams, citing his youth and unconventional path at the outset of his NBA career. The pandemic robbed him of a summer league in 2020 and then he missed most of last season following wrist surgery.
“For Patrick, the biggest thing is turning on that switch mentally where he’s really, really aggressive---where he understands what that is, how that is,” Donovan said. “I think for Patrick he thinks the game and is always putting the team before himself. Sometimes that’s a detriment to the team because there are times we need him to be aggressive and create and try to make things happen.
“Patrick always has been a team guy. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, I’m 1,000 percent confident that he wants to do whatever he can do to help the team in whatever role he’s in.”
In fact, Donovan said Williams didn’t really bat an eye when he told him of his decision following the Friday morning shootaround.
“I didn’t really think too much into it. When he told me, I was all for it,” Williams said. “I really think Javonte is a really good player, plays with a lot of energy. And I kind of saw where he was coming from in terms of him bringing energy to that first group. And I think it worked. We won.
“My job is to be productive and use my talents to try to help the team win. I think that’s everybody’s job. It’s not up to me when or where my name gets called. My job is to be ready whenever my name is called. I’m trying to win. I trust the coaching staff and the front office that they want to win as well.”
Green started last season while Williams rehabilitated his wrist injury. Like Williams, he’ll do whatever is asked of him.
“It’s not like me trying to adjust. It’s me trying to fit in like I did last year,” Green said. “I just try to give the guys space to operate, get to their spots.”
Donovan said he hasn’t made any final determinations on the starting power forward spot. The final two exhibitions certainly just got a lot more interesting.
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