Are the Bulls Weighing an Unusual Rotation Move After Early Big Man Injuries?

If the Chicago Bulls have been reminded of anything this preseason, it’s that you never know when the injury bug will bite.

Multiple players have found themselves on the sideline during training camp, with the frontcourt being hit the hardest. Zach Collins was the first to go down, suffering a soft tissue injury near his quad. While he has recently returned to the practice court, the Bulls have held him out of the first two preseason games.

Nic Claxton was next on the list. The recently acquired veteran big man suffered a hamstring strain. He is likely to miss the entirety of preseason, with his availability for the Bulls’ season opener also up for debate. The team is expected to re-evaluate him on October 19, which is two days before the Bulls tip-off their season in Toronto. Even if he is given the green light to get back on the court, the training staff may prefer a ramp-up period.

Guards Tre Jones (hip) and Jaylin Sellers (back) have also not appeared in a preseason game. The lack of ball-handling depth has undoubtedly been notable. However, it has at least opened the door for rookie Dailyn Swain to see even more immediate playing time.

Lastly, Jalen Smith was thrown on the injury report ahead of the team’s matchup with Memphis. He suffered some foot soreness after an encouraging Game 1. The absence left the Bulls with two-way contract big Tobe Awaka and Exhibit 10 player Orlando Robinson as the only traditional center options.

The good news is that none of these current injuries are expected to be long-term. The bad news is that the Bulls are no stranger to injuries stacking up, and these issues at the center position are specifically concerning. In fact, they have seemingly already made head coach Tiago Splitter think twice about how he plans to run his center rotation.

Bulls Planning to Use All Their Big Men?

Earlier this week, Tiago Splitter admitted that he may have to approach the center position in a slightly less traditional manner.

While the Bulls are somewhat deep at the position, particularly with the acquisition of Nic Claxton, their Top 3 options have all been somewhat injury-prone throughout their careers. Collins appeared in a mere 10 games during the 2025-26 season due to multiple injuries. He also went through a three-year stretch early in his NBA tenure where he played 39 total games.

Things for Smith haven’t been as grim, but he has never played more than 68 games in a season. Just last year, despite being a primary backup and eventual starter for the Bulls, Smith stayed on the floor for only 53 contests. It’s also noteworthy that he’s never averaged more than 20.7 minutes a night.

Claxton has been the healthiest of the three, though there have been some valid concerns in recent years. A back injury proved hard to get rid of, impacting both his availability and all-around defensive impact. Claxton played fewer than 70 games for the first time since 2021-22 last year.

Add in that Tiago Splitter’s offensive identity revolves around playing uptempo, and staying healthy could be even harder. That’s why the Bulls may look to form a rotation that features all three bigs, according to Splitter earlier this week.

An atypical approach? Absolutely, but one that may be pretty darn smart.

With the pace of play and injury concerns for Claxton, Smith and Collins, Splitter says the Bulls may play a 3 center rotation

— Will Gottlieb (@WillGottlieb) October 9, 2026

Coming into the year, it was hard to decide which one of these big men should be the odd man out. All have produced when given real minutes in the past. Not to mention, on paper, both Collins and Smith seem to fit better with what the Bulls want to do offensively. They are each capable of spacing the floor at an efficient rate. With Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis needing room to operate, that’s an incredibly important skill set.

As for Claxton, while not a threat to shoot, he is the best defensive option and top pick-and-roll partner for Josh Giddey. The Bulls’ defense has been abysmal without him on the floor this preseason, only making a stronger case for him to carry a meaningful role.

In other words, the Bulls could certainly benefit from using all three bigs. They would each offer a different look and allow this team to continue pushing the pace up and down the court. The real question will be how this impacts each player’s general flow, let alone who will prove reliable enough to close out games.

Playing three big men can also come at the expense of others on the roster, perhaps at the wing. Will minutes be harder to come by for players like Noa Essengue, Leonard Miller, and Patrick Williams?

For what it’s worth, Splitter has also said that he is not afraid to go deep into his bench this season. While most teams run a consistent nine-man rotation, the Bulls’ head coach talked about playing up to 11 guys regularly. Again, this may not be the norm, but the Bulls aren’t really in a situation where they should be following the status quo.

As much as they are trying to establish a clear identity and standard of play, they are also in an evaluation and development phase. The more players who can see playing time, the more information the front office will have to make important future decisions.

Let’s also not forget who is calling the shots now. If any head coach is going to be comfortable using more fives than normal, it would be a former championship-winning center. Splitter has made clear that he cares a lot about crashing the glass and providing physicality at the rim. Smith, Collins, and Claxton can help ensure this Bulls team is doing that game in and game out.

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