Caleb Wilson is beginning to confirm that conversations about his otherworldly potential were, in fact, appropriate. He's scored at least 20 points in five of his past six games while simultaneously showcasing his captivating potential on the defensive end of the floor. Unfortunately, many of his Chicago Bulls teammates are struggling to keep the pace.
Chief among those players are Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey—once perceived as cornerstones and now appearing to be holes in the game plan to build around Wilson.
Prior to the 2026 NBA Draft, Buzelis and Giddey seemed to represent a brighter future for Chicago. Buzelis turned in a strong second season in 2025-26 with a drastic increase to his scoring volume and continued displays of playmaking potential as a defender, while Giddey looked the part of a nightly triple-double threat.
Though it's still early, neither has exactly turned heads with their performances alongside Wilson—a key development to monitor considering this may just be the trio of the future.
Perhaps it's as simple as there being a learning curve as Buzelis and Giddey go from being offensive focal points to second and third options—if that—behind Wilson. One simply can't help but notice how disjointed the Bulls' offense looks and how the more experienced cornerstones have played a serious part in that development.
There's certainly time to turn things around, but there are clear holes in the long-term game plan that Wilson is revealing by arriving ahead of schedule.
Caleb Wilson's early success is proving how flawed Bulls' core is
Wilson will struggle at times in 2026-27. It's simply inevitable. The Bulls forward is unbelievably promising, but as a rookie, there will be hurdles he struggles to clear on the first attempt—and perhaps even the second or third try.
What shouldn't transpire, however, is a third-year scorer in Buzelis and a sixth-year playmaker in Giddey experiencing the same type of issues.
Yes, there is a new coaching staff with a new system that Buzelis and Giddey need to adjust to. Giddey goes long stretches without imposing himself on a game despite being the starting point guard and primary playmaker, however, and Buzelis has been turning the ball over, missing open shots, and struggling on defense.
With neither player excelling on defense at the moment, it'll be even easier to question where they fit on a Wilson-led Bulls team if they don't improve on offense.
This discussion is admittedly difficult to have seven games into the season. Buzelis and Giddey didn't exactly enter the 2026-27 season with an absence of question marks, though—and they're now under an even brighter spotlight with a true franchise player they must now learn to complement.
As the 2026-27 campaign progresses, Buzelis and Giddey will need to prove that their flaws can be addressed and that they're actually ideal complements to Wilson. If they can't, change may be needed.
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