Chicago Bulls

Rookie Caleb Wilson says he and Matas Buzelis will be key to protecting the Bulls' rim with Nic Claxton out: "I'm definitely going to be a big part." Tiago Splitter wants him looser: "Caleb has a thousand things on his mind right now... just go there and hoop."

Jalen Smith will start at center for the Bulls with Nic Claxton out, Tiago Splitter said, with Tobe Awaka "just coming back." Splitter wants everyone but the shooter chasing misses 75% of the time, up from about 40%: "we don't have the best shooting team in the NBA."

Nic Claxton must practise full speed with the Bulls before he returns; Tiago Splitter would only say "on average" two more weeks. Zach Collins practised fully but won't commit to 21 October, and expects limited minutes: "whether that's 10 minutes, 15, 20 minutes, not sure."

Dailyn Swain's 36-second stint in the third quarter was a mix-up, the Bulls rookie said: Tiago Splitter told him Norman Powell's minutes were meant to be done, but Powell "was still like unwrapping the thing on his knee." Swain says he won't let it get to him.

"We're all freakishly athletic." Leonard Miller says that's why Tiago Splitter has been playing him alongside Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis. Now in the rotation and in the last year of his contract, the Bulls forward wants to stay: "100%. Yeah, I love it here."

Bulls' Leonard Miller is pushing for minutes at power forward and center. "He can do both positions... It's really hard to predict what he's going to do," coach Tiago Splitter said. His 6 threes in Denver? "Of course, that's not his forte."

Tre Jones is the Bulls' backup point guard, coach Tiago Splitter said: "his speed for our second unit is key." Jones said Splitter wants all five players chasing their own team's misses, not just a couple per possession as before: "now everybody needs to crash."

Nic Claxton is "still going to be out for a little bit," Bulls coach Tiago Splitter said. Tobe Awaka's knee inflammation is nothing serious; he's day-to-day and might play Oct. 14. Zach Collins is "not ready to play yet, but probably going to be there soon."

Norman Powell and Buddy Hield should play "normal minutes" in the Bulls' last two preseason games: "that's the goal," Tiago Splitter said. His 9- or 10-man rotation is "not nailed down." He'll decide "night to night" by who's available, likely tinkering into the season.

From Chicago's postgame: all three Bulls centers are down, and size stays a problem once they're back. Nic Claxton is "furthest away, just with the 2-week reevaluation." Zach Collins (quad) could return "maybe by the start of the season," but "they're not going to push it."

Matas Buzelis turned his ankle blocking a shot and left as a precaution; he expects to travel and hopes to play Oct. 11 in Denver, per Chicago's postgame. Tre Jones and Jaylin Sellers sat "out of abundance of caution." Down 5 rotation players, "it gets thin really quick."

With the Bulls' injuries, Noa Essengue "is probably going to play more than he has," per Chicago's postgame: "get him out there for 20 minutes a night." No word on Jalen Smith, who sat after playing Oct. 7 and is being monitored, or Tobe Awaka, seen limping in a knee sleeve.

Damian Lillard played in the preseason after coming back from injury, and Bulls coach Tiago Splitter said: "going through an injury like he was, just seeing him there hooping again and having fun and knocking down 3s. You know, you got to take a smile"

Two-way players like Tobe Awaka will split time with the G League, Bulls coach Tiago Splitter said: "If they have good minutes, they're going to be here with us. If I don't see them having minutes, they're going to be with the Windy City."

Caleb Wilson says a bigger ball-handling role with the Bulls "comes with time and that comes with my coach trusting me and me showing it." Coach Tiago Splitter accepts Wilson's turnaround jumper only as a last resort: "he can make it. I don't love it."

Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis should "dictate the offense instead of just waiting for the offense to attack," Bulls coach Tiago Splitter said. Norman Powell tells both to shoot. Buzelis on last season: "We didn't know who was playing." He says roles are clearer now.

Nic Claxton is out, Zach Collins is "probably close to coming back, but not 100% yet," so the Bulls lack bigs. Tiago Splitter says Tobe Awaka will play "short minutes," nobody should top 35 minutes in the preseason opener, and he'll try small and maybe double-big lineups.

"Whether it's to sit out or play, I'm gonna pick play every single time." Norman Powell would play every Bulls preseason game if given the choice, but defers to the medical and coaching staff on minutes. With few true shooting guards, he isn't worried about wear and tear.

Patrick Williams probably won't get the touches he used to, Bulls coach Tiago Splitter said, but "with the role that I'm asking him to do, he's doing a good job." Asked if Williams has a rotation spot, Splitter didn't commit: "Nothing is... written in stone yet."