Insights from the Chicago Bulls’ Summer League Performance

After a week in the desert, both excitement and concern are growing around the young Chicago Bulls roster. The team lost its first two NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas against the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz but secured a 99-87 victory against the Washington Wizards. While the results are not impactful, the content of the matches is highly informative for a team embarking on a rebuild.

With two games remaining against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, here are five observations from the Bulls’ first three games.

Caleb Wilson’s Drive to Compete

Rookie forward Caleb Wilson is focused on making an impression in his debut season. Despite it being unlikely for him to play the final two summer league games, Wilson has shown determination on the court. His performance peaked with 35 points in his debut against the Grizzlies, followed by 19 points in the next two games. Although flashes of his talent appeared, it is clear that more development is needed.

Wilson sought permission to play in consecutive games to gain experience, stating, “I love this stuff. I’m going to play as much as I can.” He enthusiastically expressed his commitment to competing, contrasting the approach of fellow top picks who sat out their matchups.

Challenges at the Free-throw Line

Wilson’s struggle with free throws was evident as he hit just 2-for-12 in the first two games before making one shot against the Wizards. The new rule allowing only one attempt for shooting fouls posed a challenge. Despite this, Wilson focuses on drawing fouls, prioritizing creating chances over immediate results.

Dailyn Swain’s Adjustment to a New Role

No. 15 pick Dailyn Swain faces difficulty as he adapts to a primary ballhandler role. Swain’s performance includes averaging 4.3 points with more turnovers than assists. Despite his struggles, Coach Tiago Splitter emphasizes the importance of ballhandling to facilitate Swain’s integration.

Swain is committed to learning from challenges, with Splitter not overly concerned about his scoring capability.

Noa Essengue’s Energy Concerns

Second-year forward Noa Essengue was benched for low energy levels despite returning from injury. He is essentially a rookie this season, allowed mistakes but not a lack of presence. Essengue’s defensive skills are promising, but offensively, he needs to assert himself to avoid fading from the team’s plans.

Both Essengue and Coach Splitter agree this issue is not tied to his injury. Summer league has served as a preliminary warning for Essengue to enhance his presence.

Jaylin Sellers’ Efforts to Shine

Undrafted rookie Jaylin Sellers, on a two-way contract, is maximizing his summer league debut. Sellers highlighted his performance with 24 points and three steals against the Wizards. Averaging 17.3 points over three games, he’s adapting to play off the bench rather than as a starter.

With several young talents ahead, Sellers aims to make his mark in the Bulls lineup with limited ball time.