Chicago Bulls Central

The Chicago Bulls have officially picked up the 2027-28 rookie contract options on Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue — and now the real development work begins.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down what BOTH young forwards need to prove this season, previews Chicago’s opening-night matchup against Toronto, and puts five bold Bulls predictions on the record for the 2026-27 season.
Chicago exercised Matas Buzelis’ fourth-year option at approximately $7.58 million and Noa Essengue’s third-year option at approximately $5.97 million. These are existing rookie-contract options — not new extensions. Matas becomes rookie-extension eligible in summer 2027, while Chicago’s next major Noa decision will be whether to exercise his fourth-year option for 2028-29.
The development conversations are very different.
For Noa Essengue, the goal is to establish a dependable NBA identity built around physicality, defensive positioning, screening, cutting, running the floor and consistent engagement — even if the jumper remains inconsistent. Chicago also has a crowded forward group with Matas, Caleb Wilson, Leonard Miller, Dailyn Swain and Isaac Okoro, so meaningful reps may require a deliberate mix of NBA minutes and Windy City assignments. Pasted text
For Matas Buzelis, the question is how much responsibility he can eventually carry. He enters the year after averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks, while shooting 34.9% from three. The next step is becoming a more complete creator: beating the first defender, handling the help defender, staying involved when others have the advantage and making his defensive versatility more dependable.
Then it’s OPENING NIGHT.
Toronto’s projected starting lineup features Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl, giving Chicago an immediate test against length, experience and physicality. Nic Claxton is out, while the source document lists Dailyn Swain and Jordan Hawkins as not expected to travel because of illness; Zach Collins, Leonard Miller, Isaac Okoro and Tobe Awaka were listed as probable on the October 21 morning report.
The biggest questions:
🔥 Can Chicago move Toronto’s defense before attacking?
🎯 Can Jalen Smith’s shooting pull Poeltl away from the paint?
🔒 Can the Bulls protect the rim without over-helping?
👀 How do Matas and Caleb handle difficult defensive assignments?
🧠 Which reserves give Tiago Splitter exactly what the starters need?
And finally…
🔥 FIVE BOLD BULLS PREDICTIONS
Matas Buzelis averages 20+ PPG while shooting at least 37% from three.
Caleb Wilson wins Rookie of the Year.
Leonard Miller becomes Chicago’s leading bench scorer and averages at least 13 PPG.
Josh Giddey averages double-digit assists.
Chicago finishes in the NBA’s top 15 in defensive rating. Pasted text
💬 Which prediction are YOU riding with — and which one are you saving to roast Haize about in April? 😂
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A former first-round pick just hit waivers, and the Chicago Bulls have an open roster spot. Should Bryson Graham take the swing?
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down whether Chicago should investigate Walter Clayton Jr., why Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson’s biggest opening-night test may come on defense, and the three things the Bulls must prove during the first week of the regular season.
Memphis waived Clayton on October 19 while trimming its roster. He was selected 18th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, and there is currently no verified Bulls pursuit. The conversation is simply whether Chicago should consider him now that he is available.
Clayton’s profile is intriguing because he has shown both scoring and playmaking ability. In his final season at Florida, he averaged 18.3 points, 4.2 assists and shot 38.6% from three. As an NBA rookie, he averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 assists, but his three-point percentage fell to 30.7%.
Chicago could potentially develop him as:
🧠 A secondary ball-handler next to Josh Giddey
🎯 A creator for developmental lineups
🔥 A guard who can relocate and shoot after giving up the ball
But Chicago already has Giddey, Tre Jones, Norman Powell and Buddy Hield on standard deals, while Jordan Hawkins, Jaylin Sellers and Tobe Awaka occupy the three two-way spots. That means the Bulls would need an actual development plan, not simply excitement over Clayton’s draft pedigree.
Then we turn to opening night.
With Nic Claxton unavailable, Chicago’s young forwards will face a serious defensive responsibility against Toronto. The source document frames a possible matchup with Matas defending Kawhi Leonard and Caleb taking Scottie Barnes, while emphasizing that this is a proposed matchup, not an announced coaching decision. Pasted text
The key isn’t whether Matas and Caleb shut down elite scorers.
It’s whether they:
Communicate through screens
Help at the correct time
Recover under control
Stay disciplined when contesting shots
Finish possessions with rebounds
That defensive partnership may tell us more about their long-term fit together than one big scoring night. Pasted text
And finally, Chicago opens with Toronto, Milwaukee and Washington, including an early back-to-back. Haize lays out three things the Bulls need to prove:
🔥 Create quality offense when transition disappears
🧠 Play aggressively without giving away possessions
📈 Show that Tiago Splitter and the players can adjust from game to gamE
💬 Would you use Chicago’s final roster spot on Walter Clayton Jr., and what matters more opening night: Matas and Caleb scoring big or defending well together?
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The Chicago Bulls now have TWO different roster opportunities to monitor, and they solve completely different problems.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down the Bulls’ reported links to Dalton Knecht and Moussa Cissé, Josh Giddey’s developing lob game with Chicago’s athletic young core, and what Bryson Graham should do if this Bulls team starts winning faster than expected.
The Lakers have reportedly communicated with Chicago while trying to move Dalton Knecht, while separate reporting connects the Bulls to Moussa Cissé if Dallas waives him. The Knecht situation establishes contact. The Cissé situation is conditional on him becoming available. Neither means Chicago has completed a move. Pasted text
Knecht gives Chicago another potential perimeter scorer. His production dropped from 9.1 points per game on 37.6% from three in 2024-25 to 4.2 points on 34.2% from deep last season, so Chicago would need a clear plan for why his game could improve in a different role. Pasted text
But the roster is already crowded with shooters and young perimeter players.
Buddy Hield. Jordan Hawkins. Jaylin Sellers. Dailyn Swain.
That makes the question bigger than whether Knecht has talent. Chicago has to determine whether adding him is worth the minutes, coaching attention and roster space. Pasted text
Cissé offers something very different.
In 38 games last season, he averaged 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in just 13.9 minutes, shooting 57.4% from the field. His appeal would be a simple role built around screening, rolling, finishing, rim protection and rebounding. Pasted text
The downside?
He offers little perimeter spacing, attempted no threes last season and shot 46.9% from the free-throw line. Chicago would need to know whether his defense and rebounding outweigh those offensive limitations. Pasted text
The Bulls currently have their three two-way spots occupied and have 14 standard-contract players, meaning one standard roster spot remains. Adding both Knecht and Cissé would require another roster move. Pasted text
My lean?
Investigate Cissé first if Dallas makes him available, while keeping the Knecht conversation alive if Los Angeles makes the price favorable. Pasted text
Then we turn to Josh Giddey.
Giddey acknowledged that throwing lobs is something he has not done much throughout his career. Now he has Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, Nic Claxton, Leonard Miller and Noa Essengue as potential vertical targets. Pasted text (2)
A credible lob threat can change how a defense guards Giddey before the ball ever leaves his hands. The big may step toward Josh, stay attached to the roller, or force a third defender to help. That can create a finish, lob, corner three or extra pass. Pasted text (2)
And finally:
What happens if the Bulls are better than expected?
Bryson Graham’s biggest challenge may come if Caleb, Matas, Giddey and the young core start winning early. The front office has to understand whether that success is sustainable before spending future assets to chase more of it. Pasted text (2)
🔥 Today on Chicago Bulls Central:
Dalton Knecht vs Moussa Cissé
Which player better fits Chicago’s final roster spot
Why Knecht would need a clear development plan
Why Cissé’s rebounding and rim protection are intriguing
The Jalen Smith factor in any Knecht trade
Josh Giddey developing his lob game
Caleb, Matas, Claxton, Leonard and Noa as vertical threats
Why shooting helps create lob opportunities
How to judge Giddey’s passing beyond assists
What Bryson Graham should do if Chicago starts winning
When a trade should accelerate the rebuild
Why a hot month should NOT dictate the entire plan
💬 Who would YOU rather use the final roster spot on: Dalton Knecht, Moussa Cissé or nobody yet?
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Tiago Splitter wants Caleb Wilson to become special. That doesn’t mean every possession should become the Caleb Wilson show.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down Splitter’s approach to developing Caleb, whether the Bulls truly need an isolation scorer to take the next step, and why Chicago’s full-court pressure could become a legitimate weapon with this roster’s length and athleticism.
Following the preseason finale, Splitter praised Caleb’s willingness to learn and request extra film work while also making one thing clear:
“It’s not the Caleb Show every night.” Pasted text
That gives us the bigger developmental question.
Can Caleb learn to recognize what the possession needs from him, rather than simply hunting touches?
Sometimes that means attacking.
Sometimes screening.
Sometimes moving the ball.
Sometimes keeping an advantage alive for somebody else.
Chicago’s goal should be developing Caleb’s judgment alongside his skill set. Pasted text
Then we go FACTS OR CAP:
🧢 The Bulls can’t take the next step without an isolation scorer.
My verdict?
CAP as an absolute statement.
But dependable individual creation DOES matter when Chicago’s movement offense gets disrupted. The bigger goal should be developing players who can force a defense to react, whether that advantage starts through isolation, a ball screen, a handoff, a mismatch or attacking a closeout. Pasted text
That means different assignments for different Bulls:
🔥 Norman Powell gets decisive scoring possessions.
🌟 Matas Buzelis learns what to do when the second defender arrives.
🐂 Caleb builds a smaller menu of repeatable advantages.
🧠 Josh Giddey must punish clean scoring opportunities enough to strengthen his passing. Pasted text
And finally, we break down Splitter’s use of full-court pressure.
Splitter specifically identified Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue as long, mobile defenders who can help Chicago “make the court a little smaller” and disrupt opponents after certain stoppages. The goal doesn’t have to be a steal every possession. Making an opponent start its offense later and less comfortably can already create value. Pasted text
🔥 Today on Chicago Bulls Central:
Caleb Wilson’s developmental leash
What “It’s not the Caleb Show” actually means
Splitter’s accountability standard
Why Caleb asking for additional film matters
Facts or Cap on Chicago needing an isolation scorer
Norman Powell’s role in difficult possessions
Matas learning to beat the second defender
Caleb’s repeatable creation package
Josh Giddey balancing scoring and passing
Chicago’s full-court pressure
Isaac Okoro’s potential role at the point of attack
How Caleb, Matas and Noa can use their length
What Bulls fans should watch beyond steals
Bulls Nation voicemails
💬 With six seconds left and the offense broken, who do YOU trust most with the ball right now: Powell, Matas or Giddey?
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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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