Caleb Wilson has been dominant at summer league, showcasing a tremendous offensive skill set and controlling the glass with a veteran's poise. It's been a remarkable development for the Chicago Bulls, which have every reason to believe a new franchise cornerstone has arrived.
No player should be happier about these summer league breakout performances than Nic Claxton, who's due to rewrite his career narrative as a losing player if he complements Wilson as well as he projects to.
Chicago traded for Claxton in a move that pushed the franchise out of the shadows of the Nikola Vucevic era and into a chapter that seems destined to be defined by a faster tempo. They've become a more athletic team along the wings, and now have an interior they can feel confident in building that group around.
Wilson has certainly made it easier to believe in what the Bulls are building by showing out at summer league and showcasing a complete skill set as a scorer who can operate at all three levels.
Caleb Wilson with a MONSTER debut!
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) July 11, 2026
35 points | 7-11 from three | 2 stl | 3 blk pic.twitter.com/G8bMfMhxLT
With Wilson thriving along the perimeter and interior alike, all the while pulling down 2.7 offensive rebounds per game, Claxton should have every opportunity to carve out a winning role.
Nic Claxton can prove in Chicago that he's a winning player
Most basketball fans and analysts would likely agree that Claxton is a good player, but praise for his quality has been all but erased by Brooklyn's dreadful team results. He's missed the playoffs in four of his seven NBA seasons, with the Nets going 32-50, 26-56, and 20-62 over the past three.
Claxton has continued to be one of the NBA's most fascinating big men, however, with a versatile skill set that yields itself to complementing a player like Wilson.
Offensively, Claxton is one of the better passing big men in the NBA. He's able to operate from traditional locations like the high post or the top of the key, but he's also adept at putting the ball on the floor for straight-line drives that he can finish or pass out of. He's also one of the better bigs at balancing screens and hand-offs as methods for helping slashing scorers get to the rim.
If Wilson can round the Bulls' offensive identity into form as a volume-scoring big who can play with and off of Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey, Claxton could push them over the edge and into postseason contention.
Additionally, Claxton's defensive versatility and mobility project to work well in what's likely to be one of the more athletically dynamic starting lineups in the NBA. Claxton and Wilson in specific are bigs who can help push the pace on one end and rotate smoothly on the other.
That all comes together as the recipe Claxton has been missing to rewrite his narrative as a losing player and prove he can not only win, but perfectly complement a modern big.
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