With two games remaining \u2014 Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers (5 p.m., Prime Video) and Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers (6 p.m., ESPN) \u2014 here are five things we learned from the Bulls\u2019 first three games.<\/p>\n
1. Caleb Wilson wants to play.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unlikely that rookie forward Caleb Wilson will play in both of the final two summer league games, but the No. 4 pick has made a splash in his time on the court.<\/p>\n
Wilson scored 19 points in each of the last two games after an explosive 35-point entry<\/a> onto the scene in his summer league debut against the Grizzlies. Although the next two games showed flashes of the talent that dominated the opening game, they also captured the significant work ahead for Wilson in his rookie season.<\/p>\n The back-to-back Monday and Tuesday also captured Wilson\u2019s intense desire to compete. He asked executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham for permission to play in both games after feeling frustrated by his performance in Monday\u2019s loss to the Jazz.<\/p>\n The rookie explained that he needed to gain experience playing back-to-back games to prepare for the NBA season. But in truth, he just wanted to play \u2014 and even threw a shot at fellow top-four picks Darryn Peterson of the Jazz and AJ Dybantsa of the Wizards for sitting out their matchups.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t say they don\u2019t enjoy basketball \u2014 but, like, I enjoy basketball,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI love this (stuff). I\u2019m going to play as much as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Free-throw woes.<\/p>\n For the first two games in Las Vegas, it seemed like Wilson couldn\u2019t hit a free throw even if a game depended on it. He went 2-for-12 from the line before making his lone attempt against the Wizards.<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t helped by the new experimental free-throw rule for summer league: only one attempt for any shooting foul, with a point value equal to that of the field-goal attempt.<\/p>\n Wilson chided himself for the misses in the first two games and joked on social media after Tuesday\u2019s game that his make from the line was \u201cbetter than any three I made.\u201d<\/p>\n The good news: The rookie is drawing fouls and creating chances at the line. For now, that\u2019s more important than the outcome of the shots.<\/p>\n 3. Dailyn Swain is challenged by his role. The toughest player to assess on the Bulls summer league roster is No. 15 pick Dailyn Swain, who has been asked to play out of position as a primary ballhandler<\/a>. Swain doesn\u2019t have a bailout \u2014 no other starter can play the point, which means the rookie is being forced to sink or swim in a challenging environment.<\/p>\n So far, Swain has struggled. He averaged 4.3 points in the first three games with eight assists to six turnovers. While players taken directly after Swain in the draft are putting up double-digit performances, he is struggling to advance the ball past half-court and initiate through pick-and-rolls.<\/p>\n This is the hardest way to be introduced to the league. Swain isn\u2019t comfortable in this role and has been open about his eagerness to learn from these struggles. Coach Tiago Splitter hasn\u2019t seemed particularly worried by Swain\u2019s lack of scoring, noting the importance of ballhandling and facilitation for the rookie\u2019s integration into the Bulls roster.<\/p>\n 4. Noa Essengue poses a familiar concern.<\/p>\n Splitter held out second-year forward Noa Essengue to start the second half of Monday\u2019s game against the Jazz for one reason: He lacked energy.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Bulls](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ctc-l-bulls_c5eddb.jpg\")
Bulls guard Dailyn Swain brings the ball up the court against the Grizzlies in the first half of an NBA Summer League game July 10, 2026, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
![\"Bulls](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ctc-l-bulls_66b284.jpg\")
Bulls guard Jaylin Sellers drives to the basket against the Grizzlies’ Jahmai Mashack in the first half of an NBA Summer League game July 10, 2026, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n