The Chicago Bulls may have landed the kind of draft night swing that changes a franchise, but Caleb Wilson shouldn’t be the main story in Chicago this season. That belongs to Matas Buzelis.
Wilson’s arrival as the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft sent the hype machine into overdrive, and it’s easy to see why. The 19-year-old forward has already turned heads at summer league and looks like the type of prospect who can bend expectations. Still, the Bulls’ most pressing developmental priority is the player who was already starting to emerge before Wilson ever arrived.
That player is Buzelis, the Chicago native who had begun carving out his place as the face of the franchise. Before Wilson entered the picture, Buzelis was the one flashing star potential.
He went from an explosive rookie to a legitimate starter, which is exactly the sort of climb the Bulls hope Wilson can make too. Now, Buzelis is the one positioned to step into a leadership role this season.
Buzelis isn’t likely to complain about getting pushed down the spotlight list this summer. If anything, that kind of slight usually works in his favor. He’s at his best when he feels overlooked, and if he doesn’t have that edge, he’ll find a way to create it.
While the league was fixated on Wilson’s upside, Buzelis stayed in the work. He outlined the focus of his offseason in a message shared through the Bulls’ X account: "For me, it’s been the weight room but also maintaining my speed and agility," Buzelis said of his summer via the Bulls X account. "Shooting off the dribble, shooting when they go under the screen, more ball handling, setting screens - that’s what I’ve been working on."
That kind of development matters even more now that the regular season is close. Buzelis isn’t just part of the Bulls’ future. He should be one of the biggest reasons that future starts arriving now.
The numbers back up that view. Last season, while Wilson was going through his freshman year at North Carolina, Buzelis put up 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks in 77 starts during his second NBA season. He also became the only player besides Victor Wembanyama to reach both 100 threes and 100 blocks.
That was a major jump from his rookie year, when he averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds and had trouble locking down a steady role under Billy Donovan.
So yes, Wilson matters. But the Bulls don’t get to build around one young talent and call it a day. Buzelis has his own claim on this season, and he’s ready to make it count.
In Other News...
Tre Jones May Be More Important To This Bulls Rebuild Than Fans Realize
Tre Jones was back in the Bulls rotation in a preseason game after sitting out the first two because of a hip issue, and even in a short stint he showed why Chicago views him as more than just a fill-in behind the main guards. Playing as the backup point guard, Jones gave the second unit a steadier tempo, and head coach Tiago Splitter has already pointed to that part of his game as a key piece of how the Bulls want to operate this season.
What makes Jones stand out in a rebuild like this is the less visible work: helping young players settle in, keeping the group organized and reinforcing the identity the front office wants to build around. His first preseason appearance was brief, but it still offered a reminder that Chicago is counting on him for connective tissue as much as box-score production, and his value may end up showing up most in the way the entire bench functions when he is on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Leonard Miller Is Giving The Bulls A Tough New Decision
Leonard Miller gave the Bulls something to think about in preseason action against Denver, coming off the bench and leading Chicago with 26 points. It was the kind of showing that can catch a front offices attention even when it comes in October, especially for a player still trying to carve out a lasting role with a roster that is always balancing development and immediate needs.
Chicago already made an important call on Miller by exercising his 2026-27 team option, a move that locks in his salary for the season and keeps his future on a clear track toward unrestricted free agency in 2027. The bigger question now is whether that makes him a longer-term piece the Bulls want to build around or a useful trade chip if his value keeps climbing, even if a preseason burst does not always carry over once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Suddenly Have A Trade Opening Fans Should Be Watching
With the Bulls clearly operating in rebuild mode, their front office is still leaving the door open for movement as the season unfolds. Executive vice president of basketball operations Byrson Graham said Chicago remains willing to explore trades, including salary-dump deals, and the roster flexibility plus financial exceptions on hand give the team a real chance to stay involved if the right situation develops.
One potential lane could come through the center market, where the Bulls have several bigs on expiring contracts that could draw interest. Philadelphia is among the teams worth monitoring, since its need for frontcourt depth has become more pressing, but any conversation there would have to work around the 76ers cap situation and the kind of deal structure they can realistically take on. [Read more 🡒]