The Chicago Bulls revealed that Nic Claxton has a hamstring injury and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. That is just before their regular season opener against the Toronto Raptors, but fans shouldn’t expect to see the big man make his debut. Re-evaluated in two weeks rarely means returning. Claxton would likely need at least a few days before returning to game action, even if he is fully cleared, and that isn’t all.
Hamstring injuries are tricky. Thunder star Jalen Williams was hampered by them for most of last season. They have a relatively high recurrence rate and usually take more time to heal than players think. The Bulls would be wise to be cautious, especially at the start of the season.
Chicago has no reason to rush Claxton. The Bulls are rebuilding. The NBA’s lottery reform incentivizes them to fall into the four through ten range at the bottom of the standings. They will try to win games, but are not competing for the playoffs. Taking it slow with Claxton is the right move given the Bulls' position.
Nic Claxton is likely to miss the start of the regular season
There was no update on what grade of strain Claxton is dealing with. Grade 1 strains usually miss two weeks, but a Grade 2 strain sits out for more than a month. Head coach Tiago Splitter said the big man “tweaked his hamstring”. That doesn’t sound like a serious injury, but there is no official confirmation.
Claxton would be cleared just two days before opening night. He would be coming off missing two weeks and the entire preseason slate. It is just too risky to rush him back out there for the first game of an 82-game season. The Bulls should take things slow and prioritize the big man’s long-term health.
Splitter plans to start a big man in the preseason opener, but the center position could quickly become a problem for the Bulls.
Bulls’ center depth is problematic without Nic Claxton
Chicago traded for Claxton to give them a starting-caliber center. He scored 1.21 points per possession as a roll man last season, according to NBA Stats. That was in the 69th percentile in the NBA. The 27-year-old can set solid screens and protect the rim. Fans are excited to see what he can do with Josh Giddey. Claxton will help the young talent develop as a serviceable big man on the back line.
Claxton has plenty to prove after the Brooklyn Nets missed the playoffs for three consecutive years. He wants to play, but the Bulls have to be smart. They can't rush him back or this problem gets worse.
Behind him, the Bulls have Jalen Smith and Zach Collins. Smith is only 6’8 and is coming off playing a career-high 20.7 minutes per game for Chicago. His ability to space the floor is intriguing, but Smith isn’t a starting-caliber option. He will struggle against biggest players, but is a better option than Collins. The 6’9 big man played just ten games last season and hasn't played more than 23 minutes a night since 2020.
Coach Splitter will be forced to cobble together a big man rotation without Claxton. The reserve duo adds some shooting, but has massive warts. The Bulls will struggle on defense and give up plenty of easy buckets with Smith and Collins as the center options.
Claxton will return at some point. The Bulls should take things slow and make sure the big man is fully healthy. They need him to help Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis develop. That alone is reason enough to give him extra time. The Bulls would prefer to have him return in November and play 65 games than rush back only to be reinjured and miss even more time.
The Chicago Bulls have ruled Nic Claxton out for two weeks with a hamstring injury. They should be cautious with him. Hamstring injuries are tricky. They can easily be re-injured and nag a player for an entire season. The Bulls need to let him heal fully before bringing him back. That is the best path forward, even if it means missing the regular season opener.
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