Leonard Miller moves between Bulls roles as the lineup shifts
leonard miller has spent the past few days living the NBA reality that can change between warmups and tipoff: one night you start, the next you wait for your number to be called. For the Bulls, those changes have not been about long-term declarations, but about who is healthy and who is available on a given night.
leonard miller’s week: a start Thursday, then back to the bench Sunday
On Thursday, leonard miller entered the starting lineup for the Bulls against the Suns, alongside Collin Sexton. The move came with Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis sidelined, creating openings that pushed both Sexton and Miller into larger roles.
By Sunday, the arrangement changed again. Miller was set to come off the bench against the Kings, returning to a reserve role because Matas Buzelis (ankle) was back in the lineup. The swing from starter to reserve happened quickly, and it underscored how much Miller’s day-to-day assignment has been tied to the Bulls’ shifting availability rather than a fixed spot.
Collin Sexton’s Thursday start and the injuries that reshaped the Bulls lineup
Collin Sexton’s start on Thursday was framed as a direct lineup decision for the Bulls against the Suns. Sexton and leonard miller were inserted together, with the note that both would carry some streaming appeal in deeper fantasy leagues while the team navigated the absences of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.
That short stretch of opportunity for Miller was rooted in the Bulls being shorthanded. Miller made his first start of the season Thursday, and the context around it was straightforward: the team needed bodies in the starting five. When Buzelis returned, Miller’s role moved back to the bench, a change attributed to the rotation having one more option available again.
For players on the edge between starting and reserve minutes, these moments can be as much about timing as performance. The Bulls’ lineup choices in this span presented Miller as a flexible piece, used one way when the roster thins and another when it stabilizes.
Matas Buzelis’ return and what Miller has produced in a reserve role
The clearest through line in Miller’s recent role changes is Buzelis’ status. When Buzelis was sidelined, Miller started. When Buzelis returned, Miller shifted back to the bench. Sunday’s game against the Kings was the immediate example of that reset, with Miller slated to come off the bench as Buzelis rejoined the lineup.
Even in a reserve role, Miller has had defined production lately. Over his last three games coming off the bench, he has averaged 11. 3 points, 3. 7 rebounds, 2. 0 assists and 1. 3 blocks in 23. 7 minutes per contest. Those numbers describe a player who has found ways to contribute without starting, and they put his Sunday assignment into a more specific frame: returning to the bench did not mean returning to zero impact.
For now, the Bulls appear to be using Miller where the night’s circumstances demand it. On Thursday, that meant a starting nod next to Sexton against the Suns when the lineup was missing pieces. On Sunday, it meant waiting for his turn against the Kings because a key teammate was back. The next shift will follow the same logic: it will depend on who is in uniform, and who isn’t.
