The Chicago Bulls wrapped up their Las Vegas Summer League schedule with their fourth loss in five games on Friday. However, the summer games are less about the results and more about individual performances. Seeing Caleb Wilson set the world on fire for the week was enough to give Bulls fans a ton of excitement for the future, but there were also other important takeaways for the 2026-27 season.
1- Noa Essengue might not be a Bull for much longer
The way the Bulls handled the Essengue situation in Vegas was a head-scratcher. They benched him in the second half of the second game, and he revealed that Tiago Splitter called him out for his lack of energy. Essengue then proceeded to come off the bench and average only 13 minutes per game in the next two games before sitting out Chicago's final game.
The 19-year-old Frenchman struggled to be sure, but giving him so little opportunity after his Summer League debut was questionable. Accountability is, of course, important, but calling out the young player you selected in the lottery just last year in this way is not ideal.
Splitter threw Essengue under the bus in a way, which signals that the organization may no longer be too high on the former 12th-overall pick. It was the previous administration that selected him, and now that GM Bryson Graham and a new coaching staff are in charge, Essengue may be on a short leash.
2- Dailyn Swain needs more time
Chicago's 15th-overall pick may have had the worst Summer League of any rookie in the draft class. He was 4/31 from the field and 0/7 from three, and had seven turnovers to his nine assists. He didn't make a single shot outside the paint in the four games he played and was a big reason why the Bulls struggled so much against the Summer League competition.
There will, of course, be a lot of overreactions to this performance. Many will call him a bust and claim the Bulls made a mistake by drafting him. There is surely a reason for concern as Swain is going to be a 21-year-old rookie.
At the same time, this is just the Summer League. Plenty of players have struggled here and ended up having long, productive NBA careers. Swain has enough on-ball skills and defensive upside that he can easily turn things around. It just won't happen in his rookie season, but Bulls fans would be wise to be patient with him.
3- Bulls may have something in Jaylin Sellers
After going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, Sellers signed a two-way contract with the Bulls and played more minutes than any other member of the Bulls' summer roster. His overall stats through five games don't paint a bright picture, but Sellers showed plenty of flashes.
Two-Way Jaylin Sellers showing the range 🎯@JaylinSellers | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/DLvWczyeUS
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) July 11, 2026
His jump shot was inconsistent as he finished with 23.7% from downtown, but he wasn't afraid to take them. The fact that he made 42.9% on 5.5 attempts per game in his final collegiate season at Providence suggests that he has the potential to be a solid shooter at the NBA level.
What was impressive about Sellers' performance was his two-way ability. He was very good defensively, competed hard, and made a ton of plays, putting up eight steals and four blocks in five games. He is strong and physical on that end of the floor while being able to create shots for himself offensively. For a player on a two-way contract, that is a solid foundation.
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