Fred Hoiberg's talks with Cameron Payne have moved from playing time to preparation.

Fresh off his second Development League stint, Payne landed on the inactive list Thursday night, and it doesn't appear the centerpiece to last month's trade with the Thunder will return to the regular-season rotation.

"I just had a conversation with him about how important it is to finish out the season the right way, whether he's getting minutes or not," Hoiberg said. "Going into the third year, it's very important to have the best summer of his life to get himself prepared, get himself ready to battle for a spot in the rotation in next year's camp."

Hoiberg said it hasn't been determined whether Payne will play in summer league. But Hoiberg did say Payne at least would practice with the summer league entry.

Payne said he has tried to use the Development League assignments to build confidence.

"He did show some things that you get excited about," Hoiberg said. "We've done some things in practice that show he has a chance to be a player."

The King: Earlier this week, Jimmy Butler shrewdly refused to answer whether LeBron James is his toughest defensive assignment, pointing out that saying so might provide motivation and ammunition for others like Kevin Durant.

But Robin Lopez did wade into whether James is the most valuable player in a season when Russell Westbrook and James Harden have produced eye-popping numbers to make them the favorites.

Not surprisingly, Lopez offered an astute take.

"It has been a very competitive race. Obviously Russ and James are at the head of that conversation, but I almost feel somebody like LeBron, it's almost absurd to say but you take his efforts for granted," Lopez said. "You expect so much out of him that par for the course people aren't so much so surprised by. He's up there for me."

Hoiberg joked that "it didn't go well" the one time he found himself matched against James early in James' career.

Layups: Cristiano Felicio returned after missing three games with a lower back contusion. … James said he talks to Dwyane Wade "three to four times a week" but doesn't counsel his former Heat teammate on his fractured right elbow. "He knows what he's doing," James said. Wade did some pregame shooting. … Asked about the Bulls' inconsistencies this season, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue offered an unsolicited compliment: "Fred Hoiberg runs some great stuff."