With Wendell Carter Jr. sidelined by a …

With Wendell Carter Jr. sidelined by a sprained right ankle, all signs point to veteran Thaddeus Young making his first start for the Bulls Wednesday night as they face the Pelicans. Coach Jim Boylen said he’d reveal his starters pregame but Young worked with the first unit during the morning shootaround. Daniel Gafford, who will still play a big role, worked with his regular reserve unit.

“I think you could look at it a couple …

“I think you could look at it a couple different ways. Do you start a guy who hasn’t been starting who’s in a real comfortable role? Do you look at the matchups on the other team and figure out what’s best for him as a young player, who to match to and who to play against?” Boylen said. “I think there are arguments for both situations. We’ll sort through those and make a good decision.”

Coach Jim Boylen won’t be looking to …

Coach Jim Boylen won’t be looking to change that closer role, either. He’s calling the No. 8 late in games, and wants the No. 8 to finish them. “Yeah, I think he’s done it,’’ Boylen said, when asked if LaVine has the DNA to be an NBA finisher. “He’s done it before. He made the play in Washington where he dropped it off for the layup. He made the and-one against the Clippers here [in the United center] to win the game. He’s done it, and we’re going to keep putting him in those situations, we’re going to keep believing in him.’’

Speaking individually to a handful of …

Speaking individually to a handful of media outlets before the game against the Clippers, Paxson backed coach Jim Boylen and reiterated that Boylen isn’t on the hot seat in his first full season. “First of all, our fan base has been terrific, and I’m really sensitive to [their frustration],’’ Paxson said. “I want our fans to care about us; I want them to see a product out there that they can root for. I get it. I own that. I own that we’re not at that level. I’m in lockstep with Jim and his commitment to where we want to get to. That’s not wavering at all.’’ When asked if Boylen was in trouble, Paxson said, ‘‘No, no.’’ No Christmas Day surprises, such as a coach getting fired? “No, look, there is no quick fix to right where we’re at,’’ Paxson said. “I’ll say this again, I thought — and we all did — we would have a better record than we do right now. I do believe we have talent. It’s young, and there’s not a lot of experience, but I do believe we have talent. So we’ve underperformed in that area, but there’s no quick fix in this right now. That’s the view I have to take.’’