Coby White wants to be Bulls' starting point guard next season

Bulls guard Coby White has his sights set on becoming a full-time starter with the franchise next season, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes.

White, 20, was selected No. 7 overall by the franchise in 2019, impressing onlookers in his rookie campaign this season. He averaged 13.2 points, 2.7 assists and 25.8 minutes per game, coming off the bench in every contest but one. He’s spent significant time in the gym and weight room since the NBA season was postponed due to COVID-19.

“Work out, that’s about it,’’ White said when asked about his recent routine. “I was able to hoop a little bit when I was home, but I’ve been back in Chicago for two or three months. Really, all I can do is come to the gym, work out, kind of doing the same thing every day — one player per basket.’’

White recognizes the importance of staying ready with Kris Dunn, who started in 32 of 51 games this season, set to reach restricted free agency. Players were still working out individually as of Friday, according to Cowley, with full intrasquad scrimmages scheduled to begin later this week. White said:

“I think the big thing is just all coming together, getting a feel for each other. Just getting that team chemistry back. We’ve been away from each other for so long and we haven’t played with each other in so long, so for us to just get back all on the court together it’ll be good for us. And you know, with everything going on in the world, some of us haven’t really played basketball or been down and played five-on-five in so long, so in that aspect it’ll be good. Cause for a lot of us basketball is our therapy.’’

There’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

• The Pistons are eyeing a short route back to winning, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press details. Detroit finished with a 20-46 record this season, suffering from multiple key injuries and setbacks along the way. “We’re not really rebuilding here in Detroit,” head coach Dwane Casey said. “I think our basketball fans deserve a lot. We like to use the word ‘retooling,’ ‘restoring’ as much as ‘rebuilding.’ It doesn’t have to take a long time because if our young guys are making the progress we expect them to make, it shouldn’t be a long-term restoring.”
• Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files examines what Pacers players are hoping to see from their next head coach. Indiana fired Nate McMillan from his position in August, ending his four-year tenure as head coach of the team. “It’s up to me to step up to the plate and find the right person to lead the locker room again and be creative as a new-age coach,” team president Kevin Pritchard said last month.
• Kelsey Russo of The Athletic poses a number of questions the Cavaliers hope to answer in the team’s upcoming training camp, including how Dylan Windler is adjusting to playing and whether Collin Sexton‘s game has evolved off the ball. The first day of group training begins on Wednesday, September 23, marking roughly six months since players last played 5-on-5 in Cleveland. Andre Drummond (personal reasons) will miss the team’s camp, according to Russo, while impending free agents Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova also won’t participate.