Caleb Wilson has wasted no time acting like the Bulls’ answer, and that’s exactly why Chicago should be careful with him.
The rookie has already shown the kind of talent that gets people talking about him as a future franchise centerpiece. He’s also shown the kind of rough edges that remind everyone he’s 20 years old and only six games into his NBA career. That combination has made him one of the most compelling names in the early Rookie of the Year discussion, even as the Bulls keep stacking losses around him.
Wilson’s first game was a mess by the numbers: 16 points on 7-for-21 shooting, 1-for-8 from three, and nine turnovers in a debut against the Toronto Raptors. Two nights later, he looked far more comfortable, scoring 21 points on 7-for-14 shooting in Chicago’s only win so far, a 132-125 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Since then, the production has kept climbing. Over his last four games, Wilson is averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. He put up 30 points and 14 rebounds against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 24, then knocked down six 3-pointers in an Oct. 30 loss to the Boston Celtics.
That’s the part Bulls fans have been waiting to see. The former North Carolina star has already flashed the kind of ceiling that makes the long view easy to buy into. But the team results keep dragging in the opposite direction, and Wilson has made it clear he feels that weight.
After the loss to Boston, he told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, "I’m 20, and I’ve never been a loser in my whole life, so I’m going to try my best to make sure that doesn’t happen."
He’s also taken ownership in a broader way when speaking to CHSN’s K.C. Johnson:
"It’s my job to be a leader on this team. It’s probably the majority my fault we started the way we did, whether I’m a young player or not. I’ll take ownership of that and it won’t happen again."
That mindset is admirable. It’s also too much to place on one rookie this early.
Wilson is not carrying this roster alone, and he shouldn’t be asked to. Matas Buzelis was the franchise star until this summer, and the two are arguably co-franchise stars now.
Buzelis also has two more seasons and 157 more NBA games under his belt. Norman Powell is in his 12th season and made an All-Star team last year.
Josh Giddey is in his sixth professional campaign, even if his start has been rough. Buddy Hield is 34, and Tre Jones is 27.
So yes, Wilson wants to fix the Bulls. He wants to lead.
He wants to own the mess. That’s the kind of attitude teams dream about.
But Chicago should understand the reality here: he can be the face of what comes next without being the one expected to solve everything right now.
In Other News...
Bulls Frontcourt Issue Just Got More Urgent Before 76ers Matchup
Chicagos frontcourt picture got a little clearer on the injury report, but not necessarily better. Ahead of the matchup with Philadelphia, the Bulls listed Nic Claxton as doubtful with a hamstring strain, while Jalen Smith and Tobe Awaka were both tagged probable despite minor injuries. With Joel Embiid also questionable for the 76ers because of a foot issue, the game carries a little extra weight in the paint, where Chicago has been trying to sort out its rotation and protect itself from another thin night inside.
Assistant Tiago Splitter said Claxton is not yet ready to go, and the Bulls are monitoring him closely in practice as they wait to see how he responds. For a team already managing frontcourt availability, the timing matters, especially with a Philadelphia opponent that can change the tone of a game quickly if Embiid is available. Chicago does not have much margin to improvise here, so the next update on Claxton will be worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Finally Have A Chance To Prove This Wasn't A Fluke
Nic Claxton is back in full practice after the hamstring injury that slowed him in training camp, and that gives the Bulls a new frontcourt decision to sort through. Jalen Smith has held up well in the early going, giving Chicago a reason to think twice before changing what has worked so far.
The timing makes the choice even more interesting. Smith has played his way into the conversation with steady production through six games, but Claxtons return adds a different look and a longer-term question about how the Bulls want to build their rotation. For a team trying to keep momentum, the next stretch could say plenty about whether this becomes a true competition or just a temporary pause in the status quo. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Face A Brutal Test Against A Contender Showing Cracks
The Bulls are heading into a difficult early-season measuring stick with Philadelphia sitting atop the Eastern Conference at 6-1, even if the 76ers have not looked fully polished on offense. Chicago, off to a 1-5 start, gets a chance to see where it stands against a contender that has still found ways to win, often in tight games, while sorting through its own issues on both ends of the floor.
Philadelphia has leaned on its top-end talent and enough late-game execution to keep stacking wins, but there are signs the attack has not been as clean as the record suggests. For Chicago, the bigger question is how much of a challenge this becomes if the Sixers are missing a key piece, with Joel Embiid listed as questionable as the matchup approaches. [Read more 🡒]