The Bulls are asking a lot from Caleb Wilson this season, but opening night against Toronto is probably not the place to judge his ceiling.
Chicago clearly sees Wilson as a centerpiece of the rebuild. Matas Buzelis has already shown he can be part of the picture, but Wilson is the top pick, and the future of the franchise’s next step is tied to whether he grows into the two-way star they believe he can become.
The early signs were encouraging enough. Wilson flashed during Summer League and carried that into the preseason, even if you set aside the wild 35-point Summer League debut.
Over five preseason games, he averaged 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 44.1% from the field. He played with aggression and physicality on offense, and there were moments that hinted at something bigger.
Still, the NBA transition is going to ask for patience. Wilson’s movement can look a little awkward at times, and he still needs time to add strength and confidence before he can handle NBA forwards consistently.
That’s why a rough start should not set off alarms, especially not against the Raptors. Toronto looks like a brutal test for a rookie trying to find his footing, particularly one whose game is still taking shape.
This is not a knock on Wilson. He showed real flashes in Summer League and the preseason, and it would not be surprising if he knocked down some perimeter shots early and got himself rolling as Chicago’s primary offensive engine. But the matchup is the issue.
Toronto already had one of the NBA’s stingiest defenses last season, finishing fifth in defensive rating at 112.1, and that was with Brandon Ingram in the starting group. Opponents averaged only 48.0 points in the paint against them.
Now add Kawhi Leonard to a frontcourt that also features Scottie Barnes and Colin Murray-Boyles, and the challenge gets even tougher. Sandro Mamukelashvili is gone, but the defenders still present a long, skilled, physical wall.
Wilson is going to have to fight for every clean look at the rim.
There’s also the shooting to consider. Wilson’s preseason 3-point work settled back toward a more ordinary level, as he made 31% of his attempts on relatively high volume across those five games. That part of his game figures to matter a lot if he’s going to make an early leap on offense.
Defensively, though, the upside is obvious right away. The Bulls don’t really have another player with Wilson’s range and agility, and he could spend much of the night matched up with Leonard or Barnes.
So if the opener is clunky on offense, it should be taken for what it is: one game, against a tough opponent, at the very start of a long development curve. Wilson will have better matchups and more chances to show what he can do on that end.
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For the Bulls, the fit is obvious enough to at least merit a look. They have an open roster spot and cap space, and Porter could address two needs at once as a shot-creator and perimeter defender. It is the same basic kind of play Chicago made with Norman Powell, signing him on an expiring deal with the idea of moving him later, and Porter could give them another chance to work that angle if they choose to chase it. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Have An Obvious Wing Option Worth Watching Closely
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His path stalled after the Lakers reshaped their roster around Luka Doncic, leaving Knecht without a steady role to build on. For Chicago, that kind of situation makes him a logical flyer: a young wing with shot-making ability and a chance to address a depth chart that still needs more reliable scoring on the edges. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Opener Plans Just Changed With One Roster Absence Looming
The Bulls trip north to open the season got a little thinner before the team even reached Toronto. Dailyn Swain and Jordan Hawkins will not travel with Chicago for the opener because of illness, a late change that leaves the Bulls adjusting their available bodies for a road game that already carries the usual first-night uncertainty.
In their place, two-way players Tobe Awaka and Jaylin Sellers are expected to make the trip and give Chicago some extra depth. The roster picture is also getting a longer-term boost, with the club exercising team options on Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue for the 2027-28 season, another sign the Bulls are keeping part of their young core in place even as the immediate opener plan shifts. [Read more 🡒]