The Chicago Bulls have played three preseason games, and while the results themselves mean relatively little, the early performances have offered a glimpse of what this team could become, and where they might struggle.

Under new head coach Tiago Splitter, Chicago opened with a 124–117 win over the Phoenix Suns before dropping consecutive games to the Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets. The losses were competitive, with the Bulls falling by four points to Memphis and five to Denver, but the performances also highlighted some areas worth monitoring as the regular season approaches.

There is reason for cautious optimism, particularly when it comes to the team’s offensive potential and the development of its young talent. At the same time, the Bulls have yet to demonstrate that they can consistently match more physical opponents.

Three games are hardly enough to draw definitive conclusions. However, the early evidence offers three takeaways worth watching.

If there is one player Bulls fans have reason to keep watching, it is rookie forward Caleb Wilson.

The No. 4 overall pick has already delivered a promising glimpse of his offensive potential, particularly as a perimeter shooter. However, his first three preseason outings have also demonstrated why patience will be important as he adjusts to the NBA.

Wilson opened against Phoenix with 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting. He struggled from beyond the arc, missing all four of his three-point attempts, but showed flashes of his ability to attack the basket and finish through contact.

His performance against Memphis was a different story.

Wilson erupted for 21 points, connecting on five of his 11 attempts from three-point range. The shooting display was an encouraging response to his struggles in the opener, and he looked comfortable taking perimeter shots throughout the contest.

The most notable moment came in the closing seconds. Trailing 102-100, Chicago gave Wilson an opportunity to win the game. He created space for a step-back jumper from beyond the arc, but the attempt missed, allowing Memphis to escape with the victory.

The decision to pursue the win rather than settle for a potential tying shot was an ambitious one, even if the result did not go his way.

Wilson followed that performance with 17 points against Denver, although his shooting from three-point range cooled considerably. He made just one of his four attempts from deep, illustrating the inconsistency that often accompanies a young perimeter scorer.

Nevertheless, his ability to contribute when his outside shot is not falling is an encouraging sign. Against Denver, Wilson continued attacking the defense and drew seven free-throw attempts, sinking four, further underlining his ability to find other ways to generate offense.

The early takeaway is not that Wilson is ready to become a star. Rather, he has demonstrated an intriguing combination of scoring aggression, perimeter potential and willingness to take responsibility in important moments.

The next step is turning those flashes into consistent production.

The scoreboard doesn’t lie, and Chicago’s first three games have certainly produced plenty of points.

The Bulls opened preseason with 124 against Phoenix, scored 100 against Memphis and then put up 128 against Denver. That final performance was particularly striking: Chicago scored enough to win many NBA games, yet still came away with a defeat.

Denver’s 133-128 victory highlighted a familiar basketball reality: offensive production can only take a team so far if it cannot consistently get stops.

The Bulls have demonstrated that they can generate points, but their defensive execution remains a concern. Their loss to Memphis offered another example, as the Grizzlies scored 50 points in the paint compared with Chicago’s 34.

That 16-point difference points to the difficulty Chicago faced containing Memphis around the basket. It also reinforces the importance of having a reliable interior presence capable of contesting shots and ending defensive possessions with rebounds.

Context matters. Preseason games involve experimental lineups, varying minutes and players working their way back from injuries. The Bulls have also faced frontcourt availability issues, making it difficult to judge their defensive potential at full strength.

Still, the early performances raise legitimate questions about how effectively Chicago can defend when its offense is not carrying the load.

Can the Bulls protect the rim without consistently sending additional defenders to help? Can they limit second-chance opportunities? And can they slow down opponents who are capable of attacking the paint throughout a game?

These are questions that three preseason games cannot answer definitively, but they will be important as the regular season begins.

If Chicago wants its offensive potential to translate into meaningful results, defensive consistency will need to improve.

The defensive questions lead to a broader issue: the Bulls’ size.

Chicago’s frontcourt has been affected by injuries and availability concerns during the preseason, forcing the team to experiment with different combinations. That has made it difficult to establish a consistent rotation around the basket.

Against Memphis, the difference in interior scoring was evident. Denver then presented another challenge, as the Bulls struggled to turn their offensive production into a win against a team featuring Nikola Jokić and a more established frontcourt rotation.

The concern is not simply whether Chicago has enough height on its roster, but rather, it is whether the team can consistently rebound, protect the paint and withstand physical matchups against opponents with size.

Those responsibilities become especially important against teams that can exploit mismatches inside. Without a dependable defensive presence around the rim, the Bulls may be forced to compensate by providing more help defense, potentially opening opportunities elsewhere on the floor.

There is also a difference between scoring against a larger opponent and successfully defending one. Chicago’s 128 points against Denver demonstrated their offensive capability, but the 133 points allowed showed why scoring alone cannot resolve every matchup problem.

However, it would be premature to label the frontcourt a definitive weakness before the Bulls have an opportunity to get healthier and establish their preferred rotations.

The coming games should provide a clearer indication of whether the issue is primarily one of personnel availability, defensive execution or a more fundamental roster limitation.

For now, size remains one of Chicago’s most important questions entering the regular season.

Three preseason games have given the Bulls a mixture of encouraging signs and reasons for caution.

Wilson has shown the potential to become an interesting offensive contributor, particularly if he can build on his shooting performance against Memphis. Chicago has also demonstrated that it can generate points, including a 128-point performance against Denver.

But the team’s defensive consistency and ability to compete physically inside remain unresolved concerns.

The preseason is designed to help teams identify those issues before the games begin to count. For Chicago, the priority should be using the remaining preparation time to establish its rotations, improve its defensive execution and give its young players opportunities to develop.

It is too early to make sweeping judgments about Splitter’s team based on three exhibition games. Equally, there is little reason to ignore the patterns beginning to emerge.

The Bulls have shown enough to make their preseason worth watching. Whether those encouraging flashes translate into a more consistent team is the question that matters most.