The Chicago Bulls trudged through their first two summer league contests before impressing in a big way against the Indiana Pacers. The Bulls defeated the Pacers 114-105 behind a 28-point, five-rebound performance from last year’s 11th overall pick, Matas Buzelis.

Unfortunately for Bulls fans, Buzelis will be shut down for the remainder of the exhibition season. In his summer league cameo, Buzelis totaled 22.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks while putting his overlooked handle and on-ball creation on full display.

Aside from Buzelis, this year’s 12th overall selection turned in a breakout performance despite being the talk of social media following an ill-advised contest on a poster dunk. Nonetheless, Noa Essengue dropped 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor and a 3-of-8 mark from beyond the arc.

Yuki Kawamura has starred in a reserve role in summer league

Yet, there’s even more to gather from Chicago’s first summer league victory. Javon Freeman-Liberty scored 18, adding eight rebounds and five assists, and fan-favorite point guard Yuki Kawamura recorded a double-double, notching 15 points and 10 dimes. Furthermore, Kawamura initiated three of the Bulls’ show-stopping plays.

Kawamura first hit David Muoka with a sleek one-handed wrap-around pass, leading to an easy flush. Next, the diminutive floor general picked up a loose ball to jumpstart a fastbreak. He then flipped a no-look pass to Freeman-Liberty, who proceeded to make a touch pass to Buzelis, who would emphatically throw it down. Lastly, with less than a minute to go, Kawamura uncorked a mid-air behind-the-back pass ending in a Freeman-Liberty slam to put the Bulls up by 10.

Through three games, the 5-foot-8 point guard has shown he’s more than just a fun story. Kawamura is an NBA-caliber playmaker. He’s a maestro in the pick-and-roll and one of the more innovative passers you’ll see.

Last season in the G-League, Kawamura averaged 7.8 assists to only 2.5 turnovers per game for the Memphis Hustle. His passing instincts are off the charts, but as a 5-foot-8 point guard, Kawamura is limited both offensively and defensively.

The Japanese guard is shooting 33.3 percent from the floor and 25.0 percent from downtown. Of course, getting his shot will never be easy, as he stands at least four inches shorter than any matchup he’ll come across. His touch is above average, and his release is quick, but most of his looks have been self-created. Thus, he likely will never be a league-average shooter, at least from the floor. Still, he shown promise shooting off-the-catch.

No matter how hard he plays, Kawamura will be a liability on the less glamorous end. In a switch-heavy NBA, offenses seek the weak link, which, consequently, will be Kawamura. Still, he’s not a bad defender. He’s shown plenty of hustle and unrelenting aggression, even picking his opposition up 94 feet. Against the Pacers, the 24-year-old recorded three steals utilizing his lightning-quick hands.

Kawamura would have to take one of Chicago’s two-way spots

As of now, discussing Kawamura as a potential contributor is purely hypothetical. The Bulls’ two-way slots are filled, with Emanuel Miller, Jahmir Young, and 55th overall pick Lachlan Olbrich occupying the three spots.

If Chicago were to consider Kawamura, it’d likely be in lieu of Young, who’s also a point guard. Young has started all three summer league games, but has played fewer minutes than Kawamura. The Maryland product has averaged 7.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, shooting 39.1 percent from the floor and 16.7 percent from long range.

However, Young was an absolute star in the G-League a season ago. Splitting his time between Grand Rapids Gold and the Windy City Bulls, Young totaled 21.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per contest, shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 30.2 percent from three.

With only so many two-way spots to go around, the Bulls will have a difficult decision to make. Plenty of teams have available two-way slots to poach Kawamura—only seven other teams’ two-way contracts are fulfilled.

Fortunately for the Bulls’ decision-makers, Chicago still has two games to go. With Buzelis shut down, there will be more shots to go around. Perhaps Billy Donovan III even inserts Kawamura into the opening group, alongside Young (although that’d be a diminutive duo) or more likely in place of Young. If the 5-foot-8 guard shines in an expanded role, don’t be surprised if the Bulls decide to make Kawamura a two-way signee.