Kevin Burns: The rebuilding process has been brutal to watch thus far, evoking memories of Mark Bryant, Andrew Lang and Kornel David. Matas Buzelis and, particularly, Josh Giddey look about as comfortable as Mick Jagger at Altamont, and Norm Powell looks furious to be here. It seems like so much is falling on the shoulders of young Caleb Wilson. He’s not wilting under it as of yet but in time he might burn out. Here’s hoping things begin to coalesce in the right direction Hopefully they get their act together once past this gauntlet, and make it an enjoyable watch if nothing else.
Sam: Mick at Altamont, eh? Though Josh has looked at times lately like he’s taken a punch. We sort of expected this, though the schedule and franchise reinvention have conspired to make it worse than it figured to be, at least for now. I do think they begin to recover some normalcy when they get to Charlotte, Brooklyn and other under water NBA cities. But it may be time for some musical chairs, especially now that they’ve got a break until Sunday afternoon’s United Center rematch with the 76ers. Coach Tiago Splitter has said he doesn’t like to make emotional lineup changes based on results, and, after all, it is a developmental/experimental season. But you also have to avoid getting in the habit and accepting losing, especially with the recent losing margins. It might just be time for at least a temporary tweak to that starting group that hasn’t particularly functioned well. And, after all, with the new management and clean slate pretty much everyone but Caleb Wilson is under scrutiny. And the starting lineup we’ve seen is there more on reputation than merit. Not that I would have done anything differently. Josh Giddey is the team’s highest paid player coming off a career year. Norman Powell is the highest paid free agent and only All-Star. Matas Buzelis is the local kid made good and draft class bounty with exciting athleticism who last season about doubled his output. Wilson is projected as a franchise pillar, and Jalen Smith is the tallest guy who weighs more than 150 pounds. And not that there was enough training camp and preseason to prove otherwise. But maybe some changes now, if even temporary, can shake out some of the lethargy. And put players in better positions for their talents. I wouldn’t consider it as much being benched as an alternate unit. Now this also depends on whether Nic Claxton is finally recovered from his hamstring injury and Smith from his fall against the Knicks. I’d go with a starting unit that may fit Splitter’s vision better with Tre Jones, Powell, Wilson, Smith and Claxton. Then a second unit with Giddey, Isaac Okoro, Buzelis, Noa Essengue and Zach Collins. I believe Buzelis has struggled to find himself around two more ball dominant scorers in Powell and Wilson. And Giddey has lacked the defensive protection he had last season starting with Okoro and sometimes with Patrick Williams and Coby White providing space. The latter could provide Giddey more protection and open the floor for he and Buzelis. And more transition with Essengue. One concern is the message it might send. Would teams look at Giddey or Buzelis and say they are worth less because they are not starting? A team always wants to maintain value for its players. And do the players take it as a demotion as opposed to perhaps putting them in better position to return to their previous forms and statistics? But the way Splitter substitutes and changes the rotation, those players with more success could end up playing more minutes and finishing games. The Bulls haven’t given any indication there are any such changes pending. But the NBA season doesn’t wait for anyone. The game’s afoot. Once more unto the breach.
Wayne Warner: Three skinny 3s in Buzelis, Wilson & Miller and one skinny 7 footer in Essengue.
1) I’ll start with Essengue — does he have the upside to get as valued (maybe more defensively less offense) as Chet Holmgren who is just as skinny?
2) Can Bulls retain Miller or does he become a free agent as this season thus value to the Bulls is to trade him for a power forward or center…or first round draft pick – does he have this value?
3) Can 2 of 3 of Buzelis, Wilson & Miller or Essengue play more effectively if on the court with a bigger stronger Center..a type like Edey or Clingan. Spurs start three guards & a winger but have the tallest unicorn at center. Celtics start Tatum & Walsh at forwards – neither are “power” but Robinson is defensive presence while Bulls start Smith a 4/5 at center.
4) Will Claxton be the Bulls version of Mitchell Robinson?
Sam: It should make a difference when Claxton returns, which maybe is Sunday. Miller as we feared took advantage of playing against “tanking” situations last season and preseason half speed teams. Though credit to him for playing hard and seriously no matter the circumstances. He’ll be unrestricted with limited value and probably a value reserve the Bulls could easily resign after the season. The issue with those three, or four, is they basically all play the same position and that’s where the winnowing will have to take place.
Joseph Garofolo: A writer for a Bulls fan site claims Powell should be traded ASAP. I think besides Wilson, Powell is the best player on the Bulls team. It’s ridiculous to want to trade him for draft picks in the future, and more young talent than we already have. I know he’s older, but why not use him as a key element in the Bulls rebuilding. He’s replaced Giddey as the go-to man. The assistant coaches must do their jobs in having him blend in with the team, including the younger players. Coaches also need to get Giddey back on the trail to where he’s been.
Sam: Is that writer Powell? It’s not something the team would say, but with the short contract Powell certainly was signed for two good reasons, one to provide some offense for a team which might struggle on that side. And while he’s provided some, it obviously hasn’t been nearly enough, and unfortunately sometimes detrimental as he’s had difficulty adjusting to the way the coach wants to play with speed, movement and passing. No surprise. He’s a veteran who became an All-Star. It’s tough to adjust to a new team and such inexperienced teammates when, like Powell, you’ve just reached the zenith of your career in becoming an All-Star last season. He took the best deal, but it has to be discouraging to him to go from competing teams in Los Angeles and Miami to rebuilding in Chicago. He’s hid it some. But hiding in plain sight has been his future, which with all the injuries already around the NBA seems destined to get him with a contender and the Bulls hopefully a nice draft pick to help shape their future. Not that he’s some NBA mercenary, but the signing seemed from the start a good/good, a chance for Powell to be deservedly rewarded financially as he ages and an opportunity for the Bulls to turn him into a young asset that will aid the team in the development over the next few years. The Bulls will add veterans, but not ones 15 years older than many of their principal players.
Alejandro Yegros: I remember Coby White in his third year, people thought he was going to take the big jump. If I remember correctly, he started out absolutely awful, and was awful for months. Coby looks great now in CHA. What Matas is doing now in his third year reminds me of that. There’s no way he’s this bad. Do you think this is a mental thing? I always wonder with some players in their third year if they feel the pressure of their second contract coming up.
Sam: Coby hurt his shoulder after his second season and required surgery that set him back his entire third season. There probably is some contract concern since players can be extended after their third season, but it was doubtful for Buzelis even with a good start considering the new management was going to spend a season at least sorting out the personnel from the previous administration. Matas came back seemingly without adding anything new to his game, which can be a distraction when you’re a young player. That’s been complicated for him now playing with two offensive-oriented players in Wilson and Powell. When he took off last season he often was accompanied by several defensive-oriented, low offensive usage players like Isaac Okoro and Patrick Williams. And Vučević didn’t initiate much offense. It gave Matas much more freedom on the perimeter and in the driving lanes. He’s obviously had difficulties finding a comfortable space to play, the team has stumbled trying to adjust to Tiago Splitter’s style of offense with more passing and movement, and Matas has to fall back on something that works for him.
Marin Rego: Caleb seems to be falling in love with the three. That could be one problem with just letting guys play. It can be habit forming.
Sam: I agree that’s been one element of tanking I abhorred in that you can fall into the trap of accepting defeat. Are we seeing that with the Utah Jazz? By the way, and I believe Darryn Peterson will be okay, but what a break the Jazz went for position over talent and passed on Wilson. I fear where this Bulls project would be without the potential for Wilson’s talent. Peterson won’t be a bust, but he’s pretty much a one dimensional scoring guard. And, no, he’s not Kobe. As bad as things have looked for the Bulls to begin, having Wilson and his obvious potential is a saving grace that will have us looking back at this past draft with joy and relief. Caleb has been a bit three happy, though I think that’s been more a lack of opportunities with the court crowded at times because of overall poor three-point shooting, and the offense yet to figure out better spots for him. But the way he attacks inside with those jumping jack second and third efforts is something you rarely see. He just, as Splitter said, has to become accustomed to playing through the disappointments of starting out with a developing team. Most top young players do the way the draft system works.
Mike Sutera: There’s a report Adam Silver likes the idea of cutting NBA games to 40 minutes. Would the owners go for that?
Sam: Sounded like one of those trial balloons the league occasionally launches to see if it pops or makes the kids smile. I didn’t hear much about it because I believe it seems so ridiculous. It would be the end of statistics in the NBA, and since players are so reliant on that basically never being able to surpass an offensive record ever again with a shorter game and lower scores never would fly. Plus, then the coaches would just play the best guys virtually the entire game. It’s obviously a reaction to the existential issue of injuries, which I believe is more in insoluble product of the combination of training and habits at a young age concentrating on power and strength and one sport and then the lack of game playing the farther you advance with virtually no scrimmaging or offseason games among NBA players. It figures to remain in the “it is what it is” category and may the healthiest team win. Luck, after all, always has played a big part in this.
Mack Queen: What’s with Swain? 15th pick yet one of the last guys off the bench in the 4th against the Knicks? Why are we babying a almost 22 yr old rookie? Do we have faith in him?
Sam: We figured after Summer League and the point guard experiment his season would be at least starting in the G League, and it seems like it will be. Better for now as there’s a glut at guard and he could use the playing time. I’m pretty sure they’re high on him after scouting him extensively, but he seemed to have a bunch of nagging injuries and just fell out of sight with all the scuffling going around. There’s no hurry. I do believe he’s a long term part of their plan, especially in adding toughness and physicality.
Guy Danilowitz: Caleb Wilson is definitely a 3. A potential all star and maybe more scoring point forward with an upside like a Cade Cunningham/Scottie Pippen with crazy athleticism. Caleb has handles can get his own shot and that behind the back pass the other day; wow. Buzelis might also be a very good player but seems more limited. His upside is a good 3 and D guy but he is not as creative and won’t ever be great at getting his own shot and setting up others. Essengue – who knows? He is so raw hard to say right now. Needs more playing time 5 on 5 in games. I like Matas but does the arrival of CW mean he has to go?
Sam: Not necessarily, but the duplication is an issue. Wilson, Buzelis, Essengue and Leonard Miller basically all seem to be small forwards. They have to sort that out. My other idea along with the lineup changes is as you suggest putting the ball in Wilson’s hands as a playmaking point forward. He does make some terrific passes, but isn’t yet consistently a facilitating player. Though Deni Avdija wasn’t, either, and he prospered greatly that way under Splitter in Portland. One way to get the ball into Wilson’s hands more is to start it there. It might be a painful learning (losing?) process to begin, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Wilson playing like Dallas uses Cooper Flagg in that point forward role. I believe Wilson is talented enough all around to handle and pass, and I mostly believe the player attacking with the ball in his hand in this NBA has to be an offensive threat. That’s where Avdija developed and Flagg has been in that role. I don’t see Dallas play often, but it seems like Kyrie often is off the ball making a scoring play like Norman Powell could do. There’s much change still to come for these Bulls, and some depends on the players they can acquire in trade or the draft. But Wilson appears to have the abilities to make those plays in the open court, And I wouldn’t want to be the defense with him coming at me full speed.
Tom Golden: I think that as much as anyone on the Bulls, Jalen Smith has answered the bell and deserves to stay in the lineup once Claxton returns. He is the only power forward on the team. Just because we are young and have several talents that need work, they aren’t going to get it watching helplessly from the end of the bench.
Sam: Jalen Smith is an interesting figure because in the early going he’s probably been the most accomplished beyond Wilson. He’s an upcoming unrestricted free agent at a modest by NBA standards contract. Resign him as soon as you can? He may choose to hit the market. Or trade him as his value is pretty high as a stretch four good shooter and solid big man. Since a big part of this season also is supposed to be about acquiring players or draft picks for future use. Losing Smith likely would hurt the cause of winning games for now, but just what is the goal of this season? Remember it’s not even 10 games. As painful as many have been.
Gary Lex: Isn’t it peak Bulls for them to finally be bad and ready to tank in the first year where being one of the worst teams in the league ruins your draft odds? Should’ve made this move 5 years ago. I think these new tanking rules are awful. Tanking actually gave fans of bad franchises something to hope and get excited for, it gave small market teams a more level playing field. The most joy I’ve gotten as a Bulls fan the last 5 years was when they lost games and improved their draft position. Now fans of bad teams will really be tuned out in March and April because wins and losses will have zero bearing on draft position and will be completely pointless.
Sam: Now that’s a take I haven’t heard before. I wonder if that one came up in league headquarters when they came up with the new formula. I’ve mentioned many times I disliked what they’ve done because, in part, the new rules are unfair to a team like the Bulls, and there are always bad teams as we’ve seen to begin this season. It seemed to me a huge overreaction to a few national basketball columnists whining about whatever they whine about at times. Bad for the Bulls because the Bulls played by the rules, taking every season seriously, and then the NBA said, Too bad, we’re rewarding the tankers. Like the Thunder, Spurs, Pistons and others who were losing games intentionally. And thus built historic rosters and now we are changing the rules. I understand the theoretical intention that you want to discourage teams from intentionally losing and thus these games late in the season will carry great meaning. Check back with me in March when Charlotte plays Sacramento. Though it’s all really a slight matter of odds that shouldn’t have that big an impact. The odds for getting the top picks for the bottom three teams decrease with the greatest odds for the teams finishing fourth through 10th. But so many teams, like the Bulls last May, jump up in the lottery with lower odds. I don’t believe even if you are bottom three it’s a death sentence. You’ll still have the chance for a top pick. One element could impact the Bulls. Teams cannot get a pick in the top five three consecutive seasons. So if the Bulls did next June in what is not considered a top draft, they would be ineligible for a top five pick in 2028 when analysts who certainly may or may not know believe the draft will be stronger. There was talk this is a temporary stopgap measure and will be changed again after 2028. But since the Bulls hit big in 2026, it doesn’t really to me matter all that much. They got a guy.
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