In the depths of the offseason, the NBA Summer League breathes some life back into the professional men’s basketball calendar with an 11-day sojourn to Las Vegas for a glimpse at the league’s future.
For the Chicago Bulls, the exhibition tournament is a crucial part of this year’s calendar ahead of a transitional season that will refocus the roster on its youngest players. The Bulls need to assess the status of their young talent this summer, particularly the readiness of rookie Noa Essengue and the progress of second-year forward Matas Buzelis.
Summer league also provides a chance for bubble players to muscle their way into two-way contracts or even NBA playing time.
Here are four questions the Bulls hope to answer in Las Vegas, beginning with their opening game Friday against the Toronto Raptors.
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Bulls forward Noa Essengue shoots during practice at the Advocate Center on July 7 in preparation for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Eileen T. Meslar, Chicago Tribune/TNS
1. What comes next for Noa Essengue?
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The Bulls still are setting expectations for Essengue — including which position they expect him to play.
At a lanky 6-foot-9, Essengue is more of a wing than a center. But the Bulls plan to lean further this season into a positionless, small-ball style that emphasizes speed over size, which could ask Essengue to play the four or five. For his part, the rookie said he’s open to playing any position as long as he’s on the court.
The Bulls will experiment in summer league with different rotations that have Essengue playing both frontcourt positions to maximize his length and ability to pressure the rim on offense. On defense, he’ll be challenged to switch heavily, utilizing his length and quickness to slide up and down the position chart.
The Bulls already know Essengue is fearless running the open court, providing a transition threat that appeals to their up-tempo offensive style. But his success in summer league will be judged on less flashy traits — screening in the pick-and-roll, decisively attacking close-outs, ballhandling under pressure.
Essengue’s shot also will be a focus throughout his rookie season. He began putting in extra sessions with the player development staff upon arrival in Chicago. While he shouldn’t be expected to make any major changes before the team arrives in Las Vegas, Essengue’s summer league performances will provide a benchmark for his shooting.
2. How has Matas Buzelis grown since Year 1?
Although he will play one or two games in summer league, Buzelis won’t be the central focus of the tournament for the Bulls — the front office saw plenty of him during his rookie season after he won the starting power forward job in February. But those outings in Las Vegas will give coaches and fans alike an opportunity to see how Buzelis has expanded his game in the three months since the season ended.
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Bulls forward Matas Buzelis dunks against the Heat on Feb. 4 at the United Center in Chicago. Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune/TNS
Building strength was an offseason priority for Buzelis. The Bulls don’t want him to get too bulky — his wiry frame is the source of the grace and explosiveness that defines his style of play — but increasing core strength will be instrumental to his ability to defend larger bigs.
Buzelis said he also focused on off-the-dribble 3-point shooting and transition ballhandling during his offseason training sessions. Although based at home in Chicago over the summer, Buzelis also spent time last month in Los Angeles with teammates Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White and Josh Giddey.
The goal for Buzelis in summer league is to simply outclass the competition. Although he will be going up against a handful of top rookies, his extensive playing time last season should prepare him to overmatch the majority of the players participating in summer league. The Bulls also will be keen to see how Buzelis plays alongside Essengue as the two acclimate to being teammates.
3. Is Lachlan Olbrich on track for the G League or NBA?
Summer league is the first opportunity for the Australian forward/center to make a case for himself after the Bulls drafted him with the 55th pick last month. Olbrich signed a two-way deal with the Bulls this week, which means he isn’t fighting for a roster spot in summer league — but that doesn’t lower the stakes.
Second-round picks have been a mixed bag for the current Bulls front office. Julian Phillips (2023) and Ayo Dosunmu (2021) were the Bulls’ sole selections in their respective draft years and went on to become regular rotation players and occasional starters. In contrast, 2020 second-rounder Marko Simonović logged only 55 minutes for the Bulls while playing almost exclusively for Windy City before he was waived in 2023.
Olbrich doesn’t fit the standard style of forward the Bulls prefer — he’s a bruising big man whose greatest strength is a relentless motor for the ball — but that could add to the versatility the Bulls keep emphasizing. To earn NBA minutes, he’ll first need to prove he can keep up with the relentless pace of the Bulls offense and reliably defend in switches and mismatches.
4. Can Yuki Kawamura earn another two-way contract?
The 5-foot-8 point guard stands out on any professional basketball court. After going undrafted in 2023, Kawamura made a strong enough impression last summer at the Paris Olympics — where he averaged 20.3 points and 7.7 assists for Japan — to earn a training camp invitation from the Memphis Grizzlies, eventually landing a two-way deal. Although he played fewer than 100 minutes for the Grizzlies, Kawamura drew consistent fan attention as the shortest player in the NBA.
The issue for Kawamura isn’t skill — he was named MVP of Japan’s top league in 2023 and averaged 7.8 assists in the G League last season — but his steep size disadvantage always will be a factor in his ability to make an impact in the NBA. His ability to outplay his size in summer league may inform whether he can land another two-way deal this season, either in Chicago or elsewhere.
Today in history: Mar. 19
1859: Charles Gounod
1859: Charles Gounod
In 1859, the opera “Faust” by Charles Gounod premiered in Paris. MARY ALTAFFER
1942: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1942: Franklin D. Roosevelt
In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered men between the ages of 45 and 64, inclusive, to register for non-military duty. ASSOCIATED PRESS
1945: Adolf Hitler
1945: Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler ordered the destruction of German facilities that could fall into Allied hands in his so-called “Nero Decree,” which was largely disregarded. AP
1945: USS Franklin
1945: USS Franklin
On March 19, 1945, during World War II, 724 people were killed when a Japanese dive bomber attacked the carrier USS Franklin off Japan Harvey Georges
1977: “Mary Tyler Moore”
1977: “Mary Tyler Moore”
In 1977, the series finale of “Mary Tyler Moore” aired on CBS-TV, ending the situation comedy’s seven-season run. Don Brinn
1987: Jim Bakker
1987: Jim Bakker
In 1987, televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as chairman of his PTL ministry organization amid a sex and money scandal involving Jessica Hahn, a former church secretary. Lou Krasky
1991: Lech Walesa
1991: Lech Walesa
In 1991, Polish President Lech Walesa arrived in Washington for his first state visit to the United States. PETER KNOPP
1995: Michael Jordan
1995: Michael Jordan
In 1995, after a 21-month hiatus, Michael Jordan returned to professional basketball with his former team, the Chicago Bulls. Mark Elias
2012: Trayvon Martin
2012: Trayvon Martin
The Justice Department announced it had begun an investigation into the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida by a neighborhood watch captain, George Zimmerman. Joseph Kaczmarek
2013: Pope Francis
2013: Pope Francis
In 2013, Pope Francis officially began his ministry as the 266th pope, receiving the ring symbolizing the papacy and a wool stole exemplifying his role as shepherd of his 1.2-billion strong flock during a Mass at the Vatican. Andrew Medichini
2017: Jimmy Breslin
2017: Jimmy Breslin
Author-columnist Jimmy Breslin, the legendary street-smart chronicler of wise guys and underdogs, died at his Manhattan home at age 87. ASSOCIATED PRESS
2021: Kamala Harris
2021: Kamala Harris
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Atlanta, days after a white gunman killed eight people, most of them Asian American women, in the Atlanta area. Manuel Balce Ceneta
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