The Bulls’ 2026-27 season opens on Oct. 21, and while there will be plenty of moving parts to track, two young guards stand out as must-watch names: Dailyn Swain and Jaylin Sellers.
Swain enters the year with real intrigue around him, even after a rough summer league showing. Chicago used the 15th overall pick on him, a clear sign the team sees something worth developing. And the setup around him could give him time to do exactly that.
The Bulls’ starting group is expected to feature Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson and Nic Claxton, which leaves Swain positioned to work in a reserve role. That kind of spot can be valuable for a young player trying to sharpen his game without being thrown straight into the deep end. If things break the right way, he could grow into a larger role later on, even eventually taking over a starting job if the Bulls or Powell decide it’s time for him to move on.
What Swain looks like when the season starts will be worth watching closely. So will how much his production rises as the year goes on.
He doesn’t have to carry over the summer league version of himself, either. He’s had time to work this offseason, and training camp gives him another chance to show something different.
Sellers brings a different kind of appeal. After a strong 2025-26 season at Providence, he showed real scoring upside as both a dribble creator and a 3-point threat. Chicago has him on a two-way contract, and that makes his role the big question.
There’s a path for Sellers to become a useful role player if his offensive game translates. The catch is simple: he needs minutes to prove it.
He might open the season with a decent run of opportunities, or he could be limited at first. Either way, that can shift as the year unfolds.
When Sellers does get on the floor, the key will be whether he can score off the dribble and hit catch-and-shoot 3s for the Bulls. If he can do both, that would matter a lot for Chicago.
Swain and Sellers are both rookies with upside, and their first seasons in Chicago should be closely followed.
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