The Bulls will host Media Day on Monday and begin training camp on Tuesday.
The Chicago Bulls are set to begin training camp on Tuesday and will play their first preseason game on Wednesday, Oct. 7, against the Phoenix Suns.
Training camp will provide an intriguing opportunity for Bulls fans to see their young returners, top draft picks and veteran additions team up. Here are the four biggest storylines to watch as new head coach Tiago Splitter leads his team for the first time:
1. Does Dailyn Swain primarily take on-ball reps?
Swain was incredibly efficient as a downhill scorer at Texas, and Splitter has said he sees Swain's future as a super-sized point guard. The problem? Chicago has already committed to 6-foot-7 Josh Giddey as its point guard of the future and has one of the most underrated backups in the league in Tre Jones.
During Summer League, Swain had his opportunity to drive Chicago's offense and it did not go well. He totaled five turnovers and eight personal fouls during his first two games, leading the Bulls' coaching staff to move Swain to the wing. Across the four-game slate, Swain made just four of his 31 shots.
Swain needs time to develop, especially if Splitter wants him to run the point. But between Giddey and Jones, will he get the necessary playing time?
Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) drives to the basket against Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images 2. Can Noa Essengue carve out a role?
Another player who struggled in Summer League, Essengue also needs playing time after his rookie season was limited to just six minutes. However, the road to consistent rotation minutes projects to be a tough one. Essengue, who now measures 6-foot-11, will be competing for minutes at the wing/forward spot with Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Jalen Smith and Leonard Miller.
All four of those players are better than Essengue right now, and as Summer League showed, Splitter may have a short leash for the former lottery pick. The current front office did not draft Essengue, and although he is still just 19 years old, it's easy to see a reality in which Essengue can't carve out a role and spends most of the season on the bench.
3. How well does the Matas Buzelis-Caleb Wilson pairing mesh?
Buzelis will be eligible to sign a rookie extension next summer, and his play this upcoming season will determine whether he's paid like a future franchise cornerstone or a complementary starter. Wilson has yet to play an NBA game, but he certainly seems like the superstar that Chicago has been waiting for.
Mar 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) shoots while under pressure from Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2), left, during the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images Wilson's and Buzelis' games should complement each other — especially if Wilson's Summer League shooting was real — but there's no way to know until we see them on the court together. The Bulls' long-term rebuild strategy will depend on how well those two play alongside each other.
4. Can the Bulls find shooting outside of Norman Powell?
This question is less urgent after the Bulls acquired Buddy Hield, but still relevant. Powell and Smith are the only qualified players who shot above 37% from deep last season, and barring shooting leaps from Giddey and Buzelis, there's not a ton of spacing on Chicago's roster.
Hield should improve that. Even after a career-worst season of shooting 34.9% on three-pointers, the 33-year-old is still a career 39.5% shooter and was the epitome of consistency prior to 2025-26. Bryson Graham said after the draft that he wasn't worried about the team's lack of shooting; only time will tell if he's right.
