Jevon Carter approached the 2023-2024 season with heightened expectations. He was coming off a brilliant season with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he posted career-high numbers of 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting a blistering 42 percent from long range.
However, things have yet to go according to plan for the 28-year-old point guard. In his first season with the Chicago Bulls, Carter has struggled to find consistent playing time, averaging just 13 minutes per game. This is a significant decrease from his previous season, where he averaged over 22 minutes per game.
Surprise development
The Maywood, Illinois, native shared he didn’t see this coming when he signed a three-year deal with the Bulls.
"Am I surprised? Yes. I don't know, man. I just want to play ball. Whenever my name is called, I'll be ready," Carter said.
Despite the lack of minutes, it will not dissuade him from supporting the team and his teammates. Carter is often the first player off the bench to greet his teammates whenever a timeout is called or a big play is made.
"I want to see my teammates do well. Just because I'm not playing, it ain't got nothing to do with them. It's all love," Carter added.
Donovan keeps an open communication line with Carter
The relationship between Carter and Bulls coach Billy Donovan remains amicable, and the two continue to explore where the guard can get opportunities to impact the game. So far, those opportunities have come few and far between, but Donovan has expressed confidence in Carter's abilities and remains supportive of him. Carter has received three DNP (did not play) designations this season.
"We need Jevon to shoot when he has opportunities to. I think that helps our team and is what he's really elite at," Donovan said.
"I think the other part of it is his ability to pick up full court. But to be honest, there have been some situations where he has gotten into the rotation in the first half, but the way the game has gone, in the second half, the situations have gotten a little bit smaller, and I've gone with other guys.
"The thing I respect about him---like any one of these guys, they always want to be playing---is he always keeps himself ready. Some of it has really just been more my decision in those second halfs. But outside the last game, for the most part, he's been in in the first half. It's just the second half, whether it's playing bigger, it has bled into some of his minutes there."
More must-reads: