The Bulls’ next step may hinge on a player who won’t grab headlines.
Chicago’s future clearly runs through Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis, but veteran forward Jalen Smith could end up being the piece that helps make those young forwards work. He is not going to be a nightly starter, and he is not the type to pile up eye-popping box scores or steal the spotlight with a huge scoring burst. What he can do is fit.
That matters for a team trying to build around two players who are still growing into their games. Wilson is 19 and already brings elite athletic traits.
Even before he has played an NBA game, he looks like a force in transition and around the rim, with the kind of vertical pop and speed that can overwhelm defenders. He has also flashed the beginnings of a 3-point shot.
For now, though, his best weapon figures to be his ability to blow by bigger defenders and bully smaller ones.
Buzelis, at 21, is a little further along but still not a finished product. He has taken steps as a creator and shooter, and he has added strength this offseason.
That should help him on the defensive end and on the glass. Still, like Wilson, much of his edge right now comes from talent and athleticism rather than a fully polished skill set.
That is where Smith comes in.
The 26-year-old was the No. 10 pick in the 2020 draft, but his career has settled into something more practical and more useful to this Bulls group: a versatile role player who can stretch the floor and defend across multiple spots. He is not the star turn that draft position once suggested, but he does bring an important blend of traits.
Smith’s ability to function as a small-ball five gives Chicago room to let Wilson and Buzelis attack freely. That means more chances to get downhill, more mismatch hunting, more finishes at the rim, and more second-chance work on the offensive glass. With his bounce and 7-foot-2 wingspan, Smith can cover both forward spots and also hold up against some centers.
Long term, Wilson and Buzelis are expected to grow into jumbo wings rather than true power forwards. Smith fits that future neatly. He may not be the face of the next Bulls team, but he could help unlock the players who are.
In Other News...
Bulls May Have Just Tipped Their Hand On Final Two-Way Spot
The Bulls G League side has been making a few notable moves lately, and the latest one might be the clearest sign yet of how the organization is thinking about its two-way picture heading into training camp. Windy City brought in Drew Peterson, a 26-year-old undrafted guard-forward with NBA and G League experience, as part of a broader reshaping of the minor-league setup that already included a new GM and head coach.
For a team that has been reworking its developmental structure, adding a player like Peterson stands out because it gives Chicago another experienced option in the system just as roster decisions start to come into focus. The move does not close the door on anything by itself, but with camp nearing and the G League roster taking shape, it does look like the Bulls are signaling where one of those final two-way spots could be headed. [Read more 🡒]
Matas Buzelis Enters A Huge Bulls Season With One Real Question
Matas Buzelis is entering his third NBA season with the kind of offseason conversation that can shape the next phase of a young career. On a podcast this summer, he talked about his working relationship with Kevin Durant, a connection that gives him a rare chance to absorb advice from one of the most skilled wings of his era while he continues sorting out who he can become for the Bulls.
For Chicago, the intrigue is less about the noise around Buzelis and more about the fit of his growth. He still has room to define his game and his role, and the Bulls will be watching closely to see what parts of Durants influence stick as he heads into a season where expectations and responsibility are going to tighten around him. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Wilson Could Put The Bulls Back On Basketballs Biggest Stage
Caleb Wilsons rise has already given the Bulls something to think about beyond the usual rookie-learning curve. The forward has the kind of profile that can matter in Chicago and, down the line, on a bigger stage for USA Basketball, which is part of what makes his early trajectory so intriguing for a franchise that has spent years trying to reestablish itself among the leagues most visible teams.
For the Bulls, the national-team angle adds another layer to Wilsons development because it hints at a ceiling that stretches well past ordinary roster value. The path is still a long one, but Chicago has not had a player in the Olympic mix for Team USA since Zach LaVine, and Wilsons name is already being discussed in that kind of future-facing context. [Read more 🡒]