The Bulls’ second trip through Las Vegas Summer League brought a much harsher lesson than the first one.
After Caleb Wilson’s 35-point eruption in game one, Chicago’s matchup with the Utah Jazz turned into a grind almost immediately. The Bulls didn’t get their game score past two points until the 5:33 mark of the first quarter, when Wilson finally broke through with a pull-up three. From there, the night never really found a rhythm, and Chicago fell 80-63.
Noa Essengue’s opening stretch summed up the mess. He flashed some good stuff with a fast-break finish at the rim, but the mistakes piled up just as quickly. Two turnovers sent him to the bench at the 6:32 mark of the first quarter, and the rough edges only got sharper from there.
By the third quarter, Essengue’s night had gone sideways in a hurry. He appeared to get hurt on the first defensive possession of the period, then added his third and final turnover at the 2:52 mark. He didn’t return after that.
Dailyn Swain had an even tougher time. The rookie guard finished with four points, all of them at the free-throw line, while going 0-for-9 from the field. His point guard experiment, backed by Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter, still looks like a work in progress, and his final line of one assist did little to change that.
Wilson was the one bright spot, even if his overall stat line was uneven. He threw down one vicious dunk, but the rest of his shooting was rocky: 3-for-8 from three and 0-for-6 at the foul line. Still, he kept bringing energy on defense and finished with five blocks.
For Chicago, the bigger question now is what comes next in Vegas. Swain’s role at point guard remains the most obvious development project, and his dribbling stands out as a key part of that evaluation.
The issue isn’t just how often he puts the ball on the floor, but how quickly he can process and move it. If he’s going to become a real NBA point guard, the Bulls need to see him make decisions faster and cut down the extra dribbles.
Essengue’s situation is different, but no less concerning. Even with a box score that includes blocks, steals, and rebounds, his play has looked muted.
The physicality is an issue, and durability is still an open question. He may not sort that out before the Bulls leave Las Vegas, but September’s training camp will need to bring answers.
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