Summer League is nearly finished in Las Vegas, and the Chicago Bulls are heading into one of their final tune-ups with a notable decision in hand: Caleb Wilson is expected to play again.
Chicago faces the Los Angeles Lakers in its second-to-last game, with the Lakers entering at 3-0 and looking like one of the stronger teams in the West. Their run has been fueled by rookie Cameron Carr, the Baylor guard who landed with Los Angeles after sliding to No. 24 on draft night.
Carr was widely expected to go in the mid-teens, and the Bulls were heavily linked to him because of his length and shooting. Instead, Chicago went another direction, with Bryson Graham choosing Texas wing Dailyn Swain after taking Wilson in the Top 4.
Carr has made the Lakers look smart so far. Through three games, he’s averaging 20.5 points while shooting 48.5 percent.
The efficiency from three hasn’t been there, and his playmaking still needs work, but the scoring burst is real. That makes him a dangerous matchup for a Bulls defense that will have to keep tabs on him at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, with tip set for 5:00 PM CT on Amazon Prime.
The bigger Bulls storyline, though, is Wilson’s workload. K.C.
Johnson reported before the game that Chicago plans to have everyone available, which means the Top 4 pick is on track to suit up for a fourth straight Summer League game. That’s unusual for a player drafted that high, especially one who has already shown plenty.
AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson were both shut down over the last two games, but Wilson has pushed to stay on the floor and reiterated that desire after Wednesday’s Game 3 win.
Chicago clearly likes the message he’s sending. Wilson is trying to establish a standard and keep sharpening his game before October.
Still, there’s a reason teams often step in and protect players like this. The schedule is packed, and the risk of injury is the obvious concern.
Keeping Wilson active also means Noa Essengue and Dailyn Swain will stay in the rotation. That feels like the right call given how both have looked. Essengue has been loose with the ball and was even benched to start Game 3, while Swain has hit a rough stretch, going 0-for-16 over his last two games from the field.
Chicago’s expected lineup features Jaylin Sellers, Dailyn Swain, Caleb Wilson, Noa Essengue and Tobe Awaka. The Lakers are slated to start William Hickey, Chris Manon, Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero and Anton Watson.
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