After an “open dialogue’’ with the NBA league office the last week, the Bulls will in fact adhere to the new rest rules instituted before this season, starting Justin Holiday tonight against Memphis.
Coach Fred Hoiberg said after the shootaround that Holiday would now start, but Robin Lopez would remain inactive, and then both players will be active on the road trip.
Entering the All-Star Weekend, VP of basketball operations John Paxson informed the media that both Holiday and Lopez would be out of the starting lineup so that the team could get a look at the younger players in different lineups.
Holiday and Lopez both opted to be inactive rather than sit on the bench in a much reduced role, but both were also told that they would in fact be back as starters at some point.
In discussions with the league – especially after an embarrassing showing against Boston Monday night – the Bulls will now bump up that timeline.
“No, I don’t think so,’’ Hoiberg said, when asked if this messes with what the Bulls wanted to get done on developmental front the remainder of the year. “The thing about Justin and Robin is they’ve been very professional throughout this entire process. They both continue to get reps in practice, anticipating they’d get back in the lineup and play. Tonight, Justin will be back in the rotation. Robin will sit out but the next game in Detroit, we plan on both being in the starting lineup. And then we’ll go game by game from there.’’
