Chicago Bulls Central

The preseason is OVER, and now Tiago Splitter has some real decisions to make.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down which Bulls actually earned meaningful regular-season opportunities, who still has work to do, and how this preseason may have changed Chicago’s rotation entering opening night.
The Bulls finished preseason 3-2, closing with a 133-116 win over Minnesota. The finale featured 34 assists, 76 points in the paint and 17 offensive rebounds, giving Chicago several different ways to manufacture offense beyond isolation scoring. Pasted text
The biggest winner?
🔥 Leonard Miller.
Across five preseason games, Miller averaged 16.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 62.0% from the field and 55.6% from three. The shooting will come back toward earth, but his scoring efficiency, rebounding and consistent production gave Splitter a legitimate reason to test him with real regular-season minutes. Pasted text
Jordan Hawkins also made a huge late push, finishing the preseason finale with 14 points, four made threes, three assists, two steals and a block. He went 6-for-8 from three across his two appearances, giving Chicago another shooting weapon worth testing. Pasted text
Meanwhile, Jalen Smith averaged 11.0 points and 5.8 rebounds, while Tre Jones totaled 17 assists against only three turnovers in his three appearances. Both reinforced how valuable dependable skills can be around a young roster. Pasted text
We also evaluate Dailyn Swain, Noa Essengue, Jaylin Sellers, Tobe Awaka and Patrick Williams, including what each player actually needs to show to earn more opportunities once the games count. Pasted text
And the biggest concern entering opening week?
Defense.
Chicago committed 30 fouls and allowed 40 Minnesota free throws in the preseason finale. With Nic Claxton, Zach Collins, Isaac Okoro and Tobe Awaka all unavailable, we still have not seen Splitter’s full defensive rotation. Pasted text
Then we look ahead.
👀 Who belongs on the Bulls’ 2027 watchlist?
Brice Sensabaugh as a potential affordable scoring wing
Anthony Black as a big guard with defensive and creation upside
Karl-Anthony Towns as the major veteran swing if Chicago proves ready to compete
These are conditional possibilities based on contracts and fit, not reports that Chicago is pursuing all three. Pasted text
Anthony Black may be the most intriguing young option. Recent reporting indicates rival executives are wondering whether Orlando could explore a deal if extension talks fail, though another executive expects Orlando to keep him. Black averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists, but his 33.3% three-point shooting remains a key fit question beside Josh Giddey. Pasted text
And KAT?
A rival executive has identified Chicago as one of the teams with a plausible future path based on cap space and fit, but Towns would first need to decline his roughly $61 million player option to become a 2027 free agent. Pasted text
🔥 Today on Chicago Bulls Central:
Who actually earned regular-season minutes
Leonard Miller’s incredible preseason
Jordan Hawkins’ late shooting surge
Jalen Smith and Tre Jones proving their value
What Swain, Noa, Sellers and Awaka still need to show
Patrick Williams’ place in the rotation battle
Chicago’s 30-foul defensive problem
Tiago Splitter’s likely opening rotation
Anthony Black’s contract situation
Brice Sensabaugh as an affordable scoring target
What would have to happen for KAT to become realistic
How Caleb, Matas and the young core should determine Chicago’s future spending
💬 Who earned the BIGGEST regular-season opportunity, and which 2027 target interests you most: Anthony Black, Sensabaugh or KAT?
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Join Haize LIVE on Chicago Bulls Central for the full postgame reaction after the Bulls’ preseason finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the United Center.
Chicago controlled the game early, scored 33 points in the first quarter, followed with 34 in the second, and entered the fourth with a double-digit advantage. By the final minutes, the Bulls had pushed the lead close to 20 as Tiago Splitter’s young roster delivered another encouraging performance.
The biggest takeaway?
Chicago’s young core continues to look increasingly comfortable in Splitter’s system.
🔥 Tonight’s biggest postgame storylines:
- 🏀 Caleb Wilson puts another strong all-around performance on tape before his NBA regular-season debut
- 👀 What Caleb’s decision-making and activity tell us about his opening-night role
- 🔥 Matas Buzelis gets one final preseason tune-up after his huge Milwaukee performance
- 📈 Leonard Miller closes an incredible preseason run and keeps forcing himself into the regular-season rotation
- 🧠 What Josh Giddey showed as the organizer of Chicago’s offense
- 🎯 Did the Bulls create enough clean looks for their shooters?
- 💪 Chicago’s offensive-rebounding emphasis continues to create extra possessions
- 🔒 How the Bulls defended without Nic Claxton
- 👀 Which bench players actually earned regular-season minutes?
- 🧩 What Tiago Splitter’s final preseason rotation tells us about opening night
- 🔥 Which preseason developments look REAL enough to carry into the regular season?
This wasn’t simply about beating Minnesota.
It was Chicago’s final dress rehearsal before the games start counting, and the Bulls gave fans plenty to be encouraged about heading into the regular-season opener.
💬 What was your BIGGEST takeaway from the preseason: Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, Leonard Miller, the new offense or Tiago Splitter’s rotations?
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🗣️ Join Haize and Bulls Nation LIVE for the full reaction!
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NBA executives are buying into Caleb Wilson’s long-term ceiling, and that should change how the Chicago Bulls think about his development.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down what the latest NBA GM survey says about Caleb Wilson, why Chicago’s emphasis on offensive rebounding could become an underrated part of Tiago Splitter’s offense, and whether Leonard Miller’s preseason rise should change how Bulls fans evaluate the Ayo Dosunmu trade.
In the GM survey, Caleb Wilson tied AJ Dybantsa for first among rookies executives believe could become the best player in the class five years from now, with 33% each. Wilson also finished second in Rookie of the Year voting at 20%, while Matas Buzelis received breakout-player votes. These are opinions, not guarantees, but they show how highly NBA decision-makers view Chicago’s young forward. Pasted text
That raises a bigger question than Rookie of the Year:
How should Chicago develop Caleb if his ceiling is potentially much higher than his current role?
The Bulls need to give him responsibilities that test more than scoring. That includes attacking unsettled defenses, making second decisions after his first move gets stopped, and selectively creating against set defenses. Chicago also needs to keep developing Caleb and Matas as a partnership, not as two separate projects. Pasted text
Then we turn to an offensive wrinkle that could matter more than people think.
Chicago finished 23rd in offensive rebounds per game last season at 10.4, and Splitter’s system has emphasized creating extra possessions. The key isn’t crashing recklessly. It’s teaching Caleb, Matas, Leonard Miller and Noa Essengue when they actually have a realistic path to the rebound and when somebody needs to protect the other end. Pasted text
And finally, Leonard Miller’s emergence has reopened the Ayo Dosunmu trade discussion.
Chicago sent Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips to Minnesota for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and draft compensation, then later moved Dillingham for Buddy Hield and cash. Miller enters the matchup with Minnesota averaging 17.5 points on 65.1% shooting through four preseason games. That does not settle the trade, but it gives Chicago a legitimate young-player outcome to evaluate. Pasted text
🔥 Today on Chicago Bulls Central:
👀 NBA GMs’ view of Caleb Wilson’s ceiling
🏆 Why Rookie of the Year shouldn’t define Caleb’s development
🧠 How much offensive freedom Tiago Splitter should give him
🔥 Developing Caleb and Matas together
🧩 How their growth should shape future roster decisions
💪 Chicago’s offensive-rebounding emphasis
📈 Why crashing intelligently matters more than raw rebound totals
⚡ Caleb, Miller, Matas and Noa’s different rebounding responsibilities
👀 Leonard Miller’s impact on the Ayo trade evaluation
❤️ Separating missing Ayo from evaluating the actual return
🔒 What Miller must prove in the regular season
🐂 What to watch when Ayo returns to face Chicago
💬 What would tell you the most about Caleb’s future this season: scoring, playmaking or Tiago trusting him in closing situations?
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Matas Buzelis may have just shown the Chicago Bulls what an efficient breakout version of his offense can look like.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down Matas’ huge night against Milwaukee, why Norman Powell’s foul-drawing could become one of the most valuable tools on this roster, and what another strong showing from Leonard Miller, Noa Essengue and Jaylin Sellers means for Chicago’s rotation.
Matas finished with 19 points in just under 24 minutes, shooting 6-for-9 from the field and 5-for-7 from three, while adding three assists with zero turnovers. He also knocked down all four of his third-quarter threes, including three within a 55-second stretch. Pasted text
The bigger question is whether Chicago can consistently create easier opportunities for him.
If Matas becomes a shooter defenses truly respect, his gravity could also create more space for Josh Giddey, Caleb Wilson and the rest of Chicago’s offense. Pasted text
Then we get into Norman Powell’s scoring craft.
Across his last two preseason appearances, Powell scored 33 points while making only six field goals, because he went 18-for-22 from the free-throw line. That ability to create points when jumpers stop falling could become extremely valuable for a Bulls team that attempted 50 threes in each of its last two games. Pasted text
And Chicago’s young reserves continue making the rotation conversation harder.
Against Milwaukee:
🔥 Leonard Miller: 18 PTS, 7 REB, 3-for-4 from three
👀 Noa Essengue: 7 PTS, 2 AST, 1 STL
📈 Jaylin Sellers: 10 PTS, 2 threes, 2 steals in his preseason debut
Miller has now scored 44 points across his last two games, while Sellers immediately gave Chicago another young wing worth evaluating. Pasted text Pasted text
🔥 Today on Chicago Bulls Central:
Matas Buzelis’ breakout blueprint
Why his shooting changes more than his own scoring
What happens when defenses start closing harder
Norman Powell’s elite foul-drawing craft
What Caleb and Matas can learn from Powell
Leonard Miller continuing to force the rotation issue
Noa Essengue’s progress and foul problem
Jaylin Sellers’ impressive preseason debut
What each young Bull needs to prove next
Jalen Smith’s impact on Chicago’s frontcourt combinations
💬 Whose Milwaukee performance changed your outlook most: Matas, Leonard Miller, Noa Essengue or Jaylin Sellers?
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The Chicago Bulls have three developmental questions to answer, and each one could shape how Tiago Splitter manages this young roster.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down why Tre Jones may be more valuable to the rebuild than his own box score suggests, how Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson can attack Milwaukee’s size, and why Jordan Hawkins has earned a legitimate audition for a bigger role.
Caleb Wilson said of Tre Jones, “I trust him with the ball,” while Tiago Splitter emphasized Jones’ speed with the second unit. Jones returned against Denver and recorded five assists with zero turnovers in 9:47, despite not scoring. That raises a bigger question: how much value can an organizer create by putting young players in better developmental situations? Pasted text
Tre’s role could be especially important for Dailyn Swain, Caleb, Matas, Noa Essengue and Leonard Miller. The goal isn’t to remove responsibility from the young players. It’s to give them more possessions where they can recognize an advantage, make a decision and learn from what happens next. Pasted text
Then we look ahead to Milwaukee.
If the Bucks use Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware together, Chicago’s young forwards need to make that size defend movement and space instead of attacking two stationary rim protectors. That could mean using Caleb as a screener, forcing Milwaukee’s bigs into decisions and giving Matas chances to attack a defense that has already shifted. Pasted text
And finally:
FREE HAWK. 👀
Dan Hurley reshared Jordan Hawkins’ Bulls highlights with that message after Hawkins hit two of three threes and scored six points in 10:18 against Denver. Hawkins remains on a two-way contract, so one encouraging appearance doesn’t establish a permanent rotation role. But it absolutely gives Chicago a reason to test him again. Pasted text
🔥 Today on Chicago Bulls Central:
🧠 Why Tre Jones matters beyond his own scoring
📈 How Tre can support Dailyn Swain’s development
🔥 Specific developmental assignments for Caleb, Matas, Noa and Leonard Miller
👀 Why Tre still has to threaten the defense himself
🏀 How Matas and Caleb can attack Milwaukee’s size
💪 Why Caleb screening could force the Bucks’ bigs out of their comfort zone
🎯 Jalen Smith’s spacing impact
⚡ How to get Matas attacking a moving defense
👀 Dan Hurley’s “Free Hawk” message
🔥 What Jordan Hawkins must prove beyond making threes
🎯 Hawkins vs Buddy Hield as movement shooters
🧩 Regular minutes vs situational role vs Windy City development
💬 Who would benefit most from Tre Jones’ minutes, and what should Chicago do next with Jordan Hawkins?
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