CLEVELAND — It’s not an ideal situation for the Bulls, especially with how much the front office thinks is at stake for the development of the roster this season, but it’s the hand they’ve been dealt.

Starting guard Coby White continues running into a wall in his ramp-up from a strained calf. Until he can climb over that hurdle, there will be uncertainty about his return.

The hope is that he can play in the Bulls’ final preseason game Oct. 16 and be ready for their regular-season opener Oct. 22, but coach Billy Donovan said that’s only optimism right now.

‘‘The problem is when they all came back after Labor Day, the calf issue was bothering him,’’ Donovan said of White. ‘‘Treatment, rehab, all that stuff. And then every time they kind of ramped him up a little bit, it kind of always got to a place where he felt tightness. It wasn’t pain, but every time they got to this threshold, he felt tightness. So they basically just shut him down.’’

Donovan said White has been running and shooting, so there has been progress, but there is also an unsaid element to this: White will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and is betting on himself.

According to a source, early indications are that both sides want to get a deal done next summer to keep him with the Bulls. It makes sense for both sides to exercise extreme caution with a return, but they want to make sure it comes as quickly as possible.

‘‘I would say the optimism, the hope, would be, ‘Can we get him in the last preseason game to play?’ ’’ Donovan said. ‘‘And the hope is he would be ready to start the season.’’

With White sidelined, Kevin Huerter got the start in the preseason opener against the Cavaliers.

High expectations

There was a lot to like about forward Matas Buzelis’ preseason debut against the Cavs, especially the 19 points, but he and Donovan expect much more.

The Bulls spent the offseason making sure Buzelis focused on becoming more of a primary ballhandler, especially in scenarios in which he grabs a rebound and can push the action the other way.

‘‘I was a point guard when I was younger, so it’s me getting back to my roots,’’ Buzelis reminded everyone. ‘‘It’s like second nature.’’

The fact Buzelis had only one assist against the Cavs didn’t exactly scream polished guard skills, and that’s where Donovan wants Buzelis to get.

‘‘He’s going to have total freedom to do that,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I think the thing with Matas that he’s going to have to continue to develop and grow upon — and, listen, there’s still this development phase for him — but when he has the ball in his hands, he still has to recognize spacing on the floor. There’s times where he gets into a little bit of trouble where he’s trying to create too much off the dribble and he’s putting himself in harm’s way. There has to be a balance of, ‘Yes, Matas, be aggressive, but . . . ’’

Benchmark?

It was only the preseason opener, but the first player off the Bulls’ bench was guard Tre Jones. Meanwhile, forward Patrick Williams wasn’t even among the first 10 players in the rotation.