Caleb Wilson’s first preseason night in a Bulls uniform came with a little bit of everything: a team-high scoring total, some rough edges, and a front-row lesson from a veteran who made sure he felt every possession.
Wilson, the No. 4 pick in June’s draft, put up 15 points as Chicago beat Phoenix by seven on Wednesday, but the box score only told part of the story. He went 6-of-15 from the field, missed all four of his three-point tries, added three rebounds and two assists, and turned it over twice in 29 minutes. He also picked up his fifth foul early in the third quarter and spent much of the night being hassled by Dillon Brooks.
Wilson didn’t hide from the experience, even if the matchup was messy. He said he started some trash talk himself by bringing up a recent interaction Brooks had with John Collins.
“ It was fun, honestly,” Wilson said. “ I made some mistakes but I expected to make them.
But that was fun, I ain’t gonna lie. For that to be my first NBA opponent, it was cool.
“ I learned a lot, learned how to be more active and ready off the ball. … You can learn a lot from that and I’ll watch the film and get better.”
Chicago also had to juggle things at point guard with Tyus Jones out because of a hip injury. Jones is day-to-day, and head coach Tiago Splitter is hopeful he’ll be ready for the October 21 regular season opener. In Jones’ absence, No. 15 overall pick Dailyn Swain got more chances to handle the ball, and after some early mistakes and a shaky first half, he settled in.
Swain finished with 10 points and six assists in 22 minutes without missing a shot. He said his adjustment was simple.
“ I just had to stop playing with the ball in the backcourt, just make one move and go,” said Swain. “ I didn’t want to break up the play at first, but if I have the advantage, then I just got to take it.”
The Bulls were also thin in the frontcourt, with Nic Claxton sidelined by a hamstring injury and Zach Collins out with a quadriceps issue. That opened the door for Jalen Smith to start at center and for two-way rookie Tobe Awaka to back him up. Awaka made his presence known right away on the glass, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 11 rebounds, including six offensive boards, in 21 minutes.
Splitter was blunt about what Awaka brings.
“ It’s a combination of strength and will and power,” Splitter said, according to Lorenzi. “ That guy is going to get every rebound.”
Patrick Williams, meanwhile, didn’t get on the floor until midway through the third quarter, a sign that he may be sliding down the rotation behind Wilson, Matas Buzelis and reserves like Awaka, Leonard Miller and Noa Essengue. Williams is in his seventh season and is owed $54MM over the next three years, including an $18MM player option for 2028/29.
Splitter said he’s disappointed by Claxton’s hamstring issue, but he still likes how the former Nets center fits once he returns.
“ I think he’s a great fit,” Splitter said. “ I think he can run the court, I think he can protect the rim.
His production wasn’t as good as maybe two, three years ago last year. We believe there is a reason behind it, and we just want to have the best Nic we can have.”
According to Cowley, Collins could be back from his quad injury “very soon.”
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Phoenix brought enough edge to make the opener feel like more than a tune-up, and Bulls coach Tiago Splitter made it clear afterward that Wilsons first game offered a useful introduction to the leagues physical side. Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 24 points and set the tone for the kind of pressure Chicagos rookie had to navigate, a reminder that preseason minutes can still come with a real test attached. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Fans Get An Early Look At A Rotation Battle Taking Shape
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For Chicago, the more interesting subplot is the one unfolding in the middle, where the Suns are treating the center job as an open competition. Ighodaro is getting the nod again over Khaman Maluach, and Phoenix plans to extend the starters run into the third quarter to build chemistry and get a better read on the rotation battle before the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]