The Bulls are hoping Friday afternoon brings a cleaner look after a disastrous start to the season, and they may get some help in the process.
Chicago was hammered by Toronto on opening night, suffering the worst season-opening loss in franchise history. Now the Bulls get a friendlier matchup on paper against a rebuilding Milwaukee Bucks team, and the injury report gives them reason to expect a deeper rotation than they had in Wednesday night’s defeat across the border.
Dailyn Swain and Jordan Hawkins, both out with an illness against Toronto, have been upgraded from questionable to probable. Swain is the name that jumps off the page. The No. 15 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft is the player most likely to draw attention, and while it’s still unclear how many minutes Tiago Splitter will give him on a nightly basis, the preseason suggested he should be in the mix regularly.
Swain has had his share of trouble against NBA defenses so far, but Chicago could use exactly the kind of help he brings. The Bulls looked overwhelmed by ball pressure in Game 1, and Swain at least offers another ball-handling option who, in theory, can start offense and move the ball up the floor.
Hawkins is expected to play a much smaller role, though Splitter showed earlier this week that he’s willing to use his two-way players. Tobe Awaka and Jaylin Sellers both saw the floor in Toronto and gave Chicago a spark, even if the game was already out of hand.
Josh Giddey is also on the report after his wrist issue surfaced in Toronto. After the game, his wrist was wrapped, and reporters immediately started asking questions.
Giddey said the injury happened in the first preseason game and that he had an MRI. He also acknowledged it’s something the Bulls will need to manage, though there does not appear to be any plan to shut him down for now.
That makes Giddey a major watch point after a rough opener. He went 1-10 and had some ugly turnovers in Game 1, and Chicago badly needs him to look comfortable with the ball. More than almost anyone on the roster, he drives what the Bulls want to do offensively.
The full injury picture for Friday includes Tobe Awaka as probable with a knee issue, Zach Collins probable with a quad issue, Dailyn Swain probable with an illness, Jordan Hawkins probable with an illness, Josh Giddey probable with a wrist issue, and Nic Claxton out with a hamstring.
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