The Chicago Bulls are suddenly looking at a very different rotation after Caleb Wilson was ruled out for the next four-to-six weeks following surgery on his fractured hand. That injury doesn’t just take away a productive scorer - it strips Chicago of its leader in field goal attempts, steals and threes, while also removing its second-leading scorer.
That kind of absence changes the math fast, and it puts Matas Buzelis right in the center of the conversation.
With Wilson expected to be out until December, Buzelis has a clean runway to show that his rough start to the 2026-27 season doesn’t define him. The Bulls need him to look more like the player who flashed stardom last year and less like the one who has been slow to find his rhythm so far.
Buzelis’ 2025-26 season looked like the beginning of a real breakout. He put up 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, 0.7 steals and 2.2 made threes per game in 29.2 minutes, while shooting .463/.349/.786.
He was also one of just two players to finish with at least 1,200 points, 100 blocks and 100 threes. The other was Victor Wembanyama.
This season has been a different story early on. Buzelis is shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from beyond the arc, while blocking half as many shots per 36 minutes and averaging 1.5 fewer points.
The long-term fit still matters. Buzelis will eventually have to prove he can thrive next to Wilson if he wants to be part of Chicago’s core for the long haul. But for now, the injury opens the door for him to make his case in a bigger role.
There’s also a real scoring gap to absorb. Wilson is taking a team-high 16.2 field goal attempts per game, well ahead of Norman Powell’s 12.9 and Buzelis’ 9.8. If the current pecking order holds, Powell and Buzelis look like the two players who will carry the biggest offensive load.
That could work in Buzelis’ favor. His downhill game pairs well with Powell’s long-range shooting, even if Powell hasn’t been at his best individually either. With Josh Giddey running the offense and a healthy Nic Claxton helping cover for Wilson, the scoring burden should be manageable.
Still, Buzelis has to show he fits cleanly in Tiago Splitter’s system, because the early returns this season haven’t been especially convincing. If he can get back to the level he showed in 2025-26, the Bulls could come out of this stretch with a clearer picture of what he can be - and Wilson could return to a group that isn’t asking him to do quite so much.
In Other News...
Bulls Final Roster Move Says A Lot About Their Frontcourt Concerns
Chicagos frontcourt picture got a little clearer, and a little more crowded, with the Bulls elevating Orlando Robinson to the full-time roster for the 2026-27 season. Robinson had been with the Windy City Bulls in the G League, and the promotion fills the clubs 15th and final roster spot while adding another big body to a group that has already been leaning heavily on its interior depth.
The move gives Chicago a fourth center and also opens the door for more flexibility with its two-way players under NBA roster rules. It comes at a time when the Bulls are still sorting through how best to manage their frontcourt rotation, and the timing only adds to the sense that this part of the roster remains very much a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Should Finally Give Jaylin Sellers A Real Offensive Chance
Caleb Wilsons hand injury has opened a spot in the Bulls rotation at a time when the offense could use just about any lift it can get. Chicago has spent much of the season near the bottom of the league in offensive rating and three-point shooting percentage, which makes this a natural moment to look beyond the usual options and give Jaylin Sellers a longer runway.
Sellers has only seen limited minutes with the Bulls, but his G League work has suggested he can bring more than just depth. His shooting and playmaking are the traits that stand out most, and with Wilson sidelined, Chicago has a chance to see whether that translates when the games count and the offense is searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Keep Finding New Ways To Lose As Pressure Builds On Splitter
The Bulls have spent the opening stretch of the season searching for any kind of stability, and instead they keep finding new ways to let games slip away. Their latest loss came against San Antonio, a game in which Chicago built a comfortable lead before the night unraveled, leaving the team with eight straight defeats and a 1-9 start that has only intensified the scrutiny around the locker room and the bench.
Turnovers have been a recurring problem, and the defensive breakdowns have made it even harder for Chicago to protect leads or settle games down once momentum turns. With pressure mounting on Tiago Splitter to find answers, the Bulls are also dealing with another setback in the background, as rookie Caleb Wilson underwent surgery on a fractured right hand, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already rough start. [Read more 🡒]