The NBA regular season hasn’t even started yet, but the depth of the Chicago Bulls roster is already being tested.
Injuries to centers Nic Claxton, Zach Collins and Tobe Awaka threw the entire backcourt into disarray through the first three games of the preseason. A lack of health at the start of the season is never ideal. But this is a welcome test for the Bulls, whose depth will be crucial this season — for their success in the win/loss column and for their greater goals of talent development.
With a week left in the preseason, coach Tiago Splitter isn’t letting himself get set in any specific nine- to 11-man rotation. Splitter plans to use the final two games of the preseason to test out his primary rotations for the regular season — but that doesn’t mean the looks he plays against Milwaukee and Minnesota will necessarily be maintained throughout the rest of the year.
“It’s not nailed down,” Splitter said. “The availability of the players is going to change. It’s a night-to-night type of thing. Those decisions have to be made right before the game. We’re still exploring some things and probably the beginning of the season as well as we figure out what is the best lineup.”
The Bulls need to get minutes to a lot of different players this season. The primary goal is to give Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis as much playing time as necessary to develop key aspects of their game — on-ball facilitation, 1-on-1 defense, off-ball movement, spot-up shooting — to further their long-term growth. The Bulls also need to give substantial runway to Josh Giddey, who is entering a make-or-break season to prove whether or not he’s a long-term fit for the team’s point guard position.
From there, however, the Bulls’ depth offers a Tetris-like puzzle that Splitter will spend the rest of the season solving. The backcourt is a good example of this versatility. Claxton is the clear starter with Collins behind him as a backup. But behind those obvious roles waits a cluttered lineup of smaller backup options, including Awaka, Jalen Smith, Noa Essengue, Leonard Miller and Patrick Williams.
The Bulls similarly have to balance their desire to develop their first- and second-year players with a real need to play more experienced veterans like Isaac Okoro, Buddy Hield and Tre Jones. Younger players like Dailyn Swain are expected to earn minutes in the G League and with the first team — which allows Splitter to manage his rotations based on availability — but striking the right balance is still a challenge.
Miller, for instance, has put pressure on the end of the bench through a strong preseason showing. Splitter values the way the forward can move easily from the 4 to the 5, creating versatility within an already switch-heavy lineup. The Bulls could even play small ball rotations that feature Miller alongside a pair of forwards like Buzelis and Wilson, providing a lengthy, layered challenge on the perimeter for opposing defenses.
“Even the last game, we kind of played him small ball five,” Wilson said. “That would be elite in our lineup. With our length and our versatility, I feel like that’s definitely a possibility for us.”
This depth is a needed strength for the Bulls, who must approach this season with maximum flexibility. The Bulls are not in a position to hone in on a short nine-player rotation. Splitter needs to get a good look at a wide variety of talent, both to develop their skills and to assess their role in future iterations of the Bulls. And if players like Powell or Hield perform to expectations this season, they could be on the move at the February trade deadline — which will open up space for even more players in that rotation.
More Top Picks Best Hammock Swings For Sensory Rooms
Roster flexibility is crucial in a rebuild. As the roster currently stands, the Bulls don’t have true centerpiece stars. The hope is that Wilson or Buzelis (or, ideally, both) will grow into that role over the next few years. But in the meantime, the only way for Splitter to appropriately manage this team’s growth is through a deep roster that can adjust to challenges throughout the length of the season.
“There is a lot of different combinations that we can use,” Splitter said. “We are still learning these guys. We’re still trying to see what’s the best combination of players and schemes for them.”