Nic Claxton finally looks ready to give the Chicago Bulls something they’ve been missing all season: a steady voice, a defensive anchor and, in his words, a little “swagger.”
After Friday’s practice, Claxton stood in front of reporters holding a basketball and sounding like a player itching to get back on the floor. His Bulls debut has been on hold since an offseason trade from the Brooklyn Nets because of a training camp hamstring injury that wiped out his entire preseason and the first eight games of the regular season. While Chicago stumbled to a 1-7 start, Claxton had to watch from the sideline.
Now, after getting through a full practice with his new teammates, the 27-year-old said he feels great. Tiago Splitter stopped short of officially confirming that Claxton will play Sunday afternoon, but the coach’s smile when asked about the center’s status made the answer feel pretty clear.
When Claxton does return, the Bulls won’t be getting a full workload right away. A minutes restriction is expected, and the team has handled his rehab carefully from the start.
Even so, Chicago will take whatever it can get. The Bulls’ defense has been the worst in the NBA, and Claxton’s arrival is supposed to help stabilize a group that has been leaking points all year.
Claxton didn’t pretend one player can fix everything. But he did make it clear why the Bulls brought him in, and what he thinks he can add right away.
“I’m going to bring us some fresh energy, some swagger, some intensity," Claxton said. "I feel like we need that right now.
Understandably, we’ve been in a little bit of a drag. That’s just how it is losing in the league.
So, hopefully, I can bring us some positive energy.”
He also didn’t hide from the larger picture. Claxton acknowledged Chicago’s brutal early schedule, but he didn’t use it as cover. In his view, the Bulls still have plenty to clean up on both ends, and his job is to help address some of the biggest issues.
The numbers back up the concern. Chicago owns a 123.5 defensive rating, worst in the league. Opponents are scoring 53.0 points in the paint per game against them, which ranks fifth-most, and are shooting nearly 49.0 percent from the field.
That’s where Claxton’s reputation comes in. He’s built his NBA identity on rim protection and defensive versatility, and he believes those traits can translate quickly once he’s back in the rotation.
“I’ll be able to impact in a lot of different ways, especially with rim protection, communication," Claxton said. "Being able to show the guys maybe if we’re over helping in certain situations, not helping enough.
Just being solid out there. I’ll be able to be a good positive voice.”
Communication, in particular, stood out in his comments. Claxton said the Bulls need to be louder and more connected on that end, especially with a young roster that has too often looked rattled as games have slipped away. He knows what good teams can do to an inexperienced defense, but he also believes Chicago has made life too easy for opponents.
“Just being on the same page. We need to hear more voices out there," Claxton said.
"We need to talk more. Dudes are just too comfortable out there.
Obviously, we’re playing against some championship-level teams, so they’re going to make tough shots. But I just feel like we can make it a lot tougher for them.
That’s what we need to do going forward, and I’ll be able to help with that.”
No one inside the building is pretending Claxton’s return will solve everything overnight. Splitter acknowledged there could be some bumps because the center missed such a significant stretch. He’ll need time to catch up physically and mentally.
Still, Claxton is one of the most experienced players on the roster, and the Bulls built part of their 2026-27 plan with him in mind. Whether that long view pays off remains to be seen, but his debut should at least give Chicago a better idea of what this team can become once it finally has its full pieces in place.
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