The Bulls left Memphis with a 104-100 preseason loss, but the scoreboard wasn’t the only thing worth watching. Chicago’s second exhibition game also offered another look at three players who stood out in very different ways: Norman Powell, Leonard Miller and Caleb Wilson.
Powell, in particular, has started to look like the kind of steady offensive presence Chicago can lean on. During his time with the Bulls, DeMar DeRozan gave the team a scorer it could trust when possessions tightened up, especially late. Powell has shown early signs he can fill that role this season.
That showed up again against Memphis. He scored 17 points in 19 minutes and got to the free-throw line 12 times.
In Chicago’s win over Phoenix, he had 14 points in 14 minutes, hit 3-for-4 from three and earned six trips to the line. Across the first two preseason games, Powell has brought a veteran feel on the offensive end and given the Bulls a player who looks capable of delivering consistently once the games count.
Miller has also made his case as a useful bench piece. After posting 14 points in 14 minutes against the Suns, he followed it up with 12 points, 11 rebounds and a 5-for-11 shooting night against Memphis. He had already added two steals in the earlier game, and his all-around production against the Grizzlies reinforced how valuable he could be as a reserve forward.
That matters for Chicago’s rotation. The Bulls’ best forward look comes when Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson are on the floor together, but Miller gives the team a way to stay solid when one of them sits. If he keeps producing, Tiago Splitter could have more flexibility to rest Buzelis or Wilson without the unit taking a hit.
Wilson’s night was the loudest of the three. His first half was nearly quiet, with just one point on 0-for-2 shooting from the field and 0-for-1 from deep.
Then he completely flipped the script. By the end of the game, he had 21 points on 7-for-17 shooting and went 5-for-11 from three, including 20 points in the second half alone.
That kind of swing tells you two things about the rookie: he can recover after a slow start, and he can catch fire in a hurry. Those are the kinds of traits teams hope to see from a young player with real upside.
Wilson also took the late 3-pointer that could have won it, even though it didn’t go down. The miss didn’t erase the value of the attempt.
It showed confidence, and his work from beyond the arc remains an encouraging part of his game. If that shot keeps falling, his offense becomes a lot tougher to handle.
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Matas Buzelis was forced out of the Bulls preseason game against the Grizzlies after injuring his right ankle, adding an unwelcome twist to a night that had already offered a glimpse of his growing role. He had played 12 minutes and scored 6 points before leaving, leaving Chicago with an early preseason health question involving one of its young pieces.
Buzelis had already briefly gone down earlier after a hard fall while going for a block, then returned before the ankle issue ended his night. For a Bulls team trying to sort out its rotation and keep its promising younger players on the floor, the only real concern now is how serious the injury is and what it means going forward. [Read more 🡒]
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Chicagos next look comes against the Grizzlies at the United Center, and Swains opportunity appears to be getting bigger by the day. With Tre Jones dealing with left hip soreness, the rookie has a real opening to handle the ball more often and keep building on what he showed in Phoenix, while the Bulls continue to evaluate how much responsibility he can absorb this early. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Face An Early Frontcourt Test They Really Didn't Need
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With the traditional center rotation so limited, Chicago is expected to lean on small-ball looks against the Grizzlies. That leaves the Bulls trying to patch together their interior minutes with only Tobe Awaka and Orlando Robinson as their remaining true centers, a useful early test of depth even if it is not the one they wanted this soon. [Read more 🡒]