In the grand scheme of 2026-27, fans of the Chicago Bulls have plenty of storylines to follow.
What moves will the organization be looking to make under new lead executive Bryson Graham? How will the hiring of Tiago Splitter impact the Bulls' developmental process? Can Matas Buzelis take the next leap before he becomes extension eligible next offseason? Can players like Patrick Williams and Rob Dillingham take the strides they need to keep themselves from becoming roster casualties?
Yet even with all of this on the table, there will be one man in Chicago who routinely gets the majority of the attention— Caleb Wilson.
It's too early to say that the future of the Bulls' rebuild rests squarely on Wilson's shoulders. But it's not wise to count on another stroke of luck like the one that catapulted Chicago up in the Draft and allowed them to select the rangy, 6'9" forward. Although his game still needs polishing, the upside there is immense.
As soon as the season kicks off, then, Wilson will immediately be presented with a challenge. Can he live up to the expectations that the league has placed upon him? Obviously, don't expect to be able to answer that question after the first month of the season.
But the Bulls have enough tough matchups in that span that, if Wilson can show some of the aggression and confidence we saw in Summer League, it will go a long way towards fueling the optimism that's rampant in Chicago circles this offseason.
Caleb Wilson's first real test will come in the first two months of the season for the Bulls
From a logical perspective, it's clear that Wilson is going to need some time to acclimate to the NBA. He isn't even close to filling out his frame, and even in college, his movements often lacked fluidity. He has a downhill play-style, but he needs to gain strength and poise to continually play that way in the NBA.
But with new Bulls all across the roster, the offensive hierarchy of this team is wide open. The ball will be in Josh Giddey's hands more often than not, sure. But in terms of who becomes the real focal point of the offense, that mantle is open to be claimed.
Wilson has all of the skills necessary to accomplish that. But he'll need to prove it over the early portions of the season.
Chicago's campaign kicks off with matchups against the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Washington Wizards. Of course, that slate holds the Raptors' formidable frontcourt defense and the much-anticipated matchup with AJ Dybantsa. But those games could also provide a nice ramp-up period for this Bulls team. Even if it's a short one, they'll need it.
Over the three weeks after that, they'll face off against the New York Knicks (twice), the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers (twice), the San Antonio Spurs, the Atlanta Hawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
There's a chance that very few of these games are close by the time they reach the fourth quarter. But if the Bulls can hang in even a portion of these games, we'll get a clear glimpse of who Wilson is.
Is he willing to take the ball into his hands late in games and square off against the likes of OG Anunoby, Victor Wembanyama, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Johnson, and Evan Mobley? Will the blistering confidence we saw from beyond the arc in Summer League carry over in any capacity?
Wilson's rookie season, in fact, should be measured by his confidence— not his production. The Bulls' early slate, at the very least, will provide a benchmark against which Wilson's season can be measured in that regard.
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