Donovan: Bulls focused on 'playing,' not draft slot

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CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan said the team's first-round draft pick hasn't been a part of his conversations with the front office and ownership ahead of next month's NBA trade deadline.

Chicago had won three of four going into Monday night's game against San Antonio, leaving the Bulls with a 16-19 record. Chicago owes its first-round selection in the 2025 draft to San Antonio as part of the 2021 DeMar DeRozan trade, but the pick is top-10 protected.

"No one's saying to me, hey, listen, wait a second with this draft pick right now, we need to make sure, it's been always the integrity of competition and playing," Donovan said, "and I appreciate that."

While Donovan said the pick hasn't been part of his conversations with the team, he also acknowledged the location of the organization in the NBA hierarchy. The Bulls went 40-42 during the 2022-23 season and 39-43 last year.

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"We don't want to be just stuck in the middle. ... Absolutely. I don't think there's any question about that," Donovan said.

"I think the building out part that we got to look at is the totality of our entire team where you're identifying guys that are going to help us maybe get out of the middle and move forward. And I do think that we do have guys on our team that, to me, emulate or model a competitiveness that I like and appreciate."

The Bulls were without Ayo Dosunmu for the sixth straight game on Monday night because of a strained right calf. Dosunmu, who turns 25 on Jan. 17, is averaging 12.6 points and 4.8 assists in his fourth NBA season.

Dosunmu is doing some rehab work, Donovan said, but he has experienced some soreness when he tries run hard straight ahead.

"I think with where it is, in the lower part of his calf, they're just going to be careful," Donovan said.