Tiago Splitter Discusses Chicago Bulls' Preseason Plans, Expectations

The Chicago Bulls will finally take the court in a live NBA game on Wednesday, as new head coach Tiago Splitter leads his team into a preseason matchup against the Phoenix Suns.

Splitter has several intriguing players to work with, including returners Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey, draft picks Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain and offseason additions Norman Powell and Nic Claxton. The preseason provides Splitter his first opportunity to see his new players compete against outside competition, namely the franchise's young cornerstones: Buzelis and Wilson.

Against the Suns on Wednesday, Splitter is looking forward to seeing how Buzelis and Wilson handle the little things. That includes playing physically, attacking closeouts, communicating on defense and guarding opponents in one-on-one situations.

"In practice, sometimes it's easier because you know what's coming," Splitter said following the Bulls' training camp practice on Tuesday. "You've got to react to the game, watch the game, see all of those reads. That's going to be important."

So far, Splitter has emphasized his desire for Chicago to play aggressively on defense. He wants his team to dictate how the opposing offense plays instead of just waiting for it to attack, and Splitter noted on Tuesday that he felt his young players were "being too loosey" on defense.

That's a habit that he's hoping to coach out of them, but Splitter understands that will take some time. What matters is the intention behind Buzelis' and Wilson's play.

"I know they're going to make mistakes," Splitter said. "That's part of it. But I at least want to see that step forward on aggressiveness. That's the main thing. Can we be aggressive? Can we control the rebounds and go from there?"

Nothing is set in stone for Splitter and his staff yet, entering Wednesday night. The 41-year-old head coach acknowledged that it's difficult to evaluate players solely from practice, and the preseason will be very telling of how players will respond to live in-game action.

Chicago's starting lineup is mostly finalized. Giddey, Powell, Buzelis and Wilson were named starters on Monday, but following Claxton's hamstring injury, the Bulls' starting center spot is up in the air. After that, Splitter plans to experiment with various lineup combinations and said his rotation against the Suns would be "bigger than normal."

With centers Claxton and Zach Collins (quad) dealing with injuries, Splitter could look to several different options to hold down Chicago's frontcourt. Jalen Smith was primarily a true '4' last season, but at 6-foot-9, he may be the Bulls' best fill-in option. Splitter also said that 6-foot-8 undrafted two-way forward Tobe Awaka will "for sure" get significant minutes in the preseason and potentially the early parts of the regular season.

It shouldn't be out of the question either that Splitter could use a "small ball" lineup by opting for the slim-built 6-foot-10 Wilson or 6-foot-11 Noa Essengue to provide spot minutes. The two weigh in at 215 and 206 pounds, respectively, but may be the next-best options for the Bulls if Awaka cannot quickly adjust to the speed of the NBA.

Tipoff for the Bulls' preseason opener against the Suns is set for 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday at the United Center.