Around the Beat: Grim Outlooks, a Rookie's Prep Work, and a…

By the Bulls Nightly Desk · Friday, September 18

Pippen Ain't Easy spent the week cataloguing exactly how far Chicago has to climb, from expansion-draft exposure to a fresh two-way vacancy. Around it sat two sadder headlines, from ESPN and Hoops Rumors, marking the death of Bulls alum Mike Sweetney.

Bulls Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Relegation Zone Warning. G.C. Bellchamber of Pippen Ain't Easy wrote that the Bulls must clear three specific hurdles to stay out of the NBA's new "relegation zone." Last season's numbers support the alarm: a 31-51 finish and a net rating that ranked 23rd of 30 teams.

Mock Expansion Draft. Andrew Hanlon, also writing for Pippen Ain't Easy, used a mock NBA expansion draft to lay out how exposed Chicago's roster looks right now. The exercise lands at a fair moment: with Josh Giddey, Norman Powell and Nic Claxton as the only proven veterans, there is not much depth to protect.

Front Office's Long Race. Morris Bankston, at Pippen Ain't Easy, compared front-office builds around the league and put Chicago's near the back of the pack, saying Bryson Graham's group has a long race to run. Graham took over basketball operations in May and hired Tiago Splitter the following month, so the clock on that judgment barely started.

One Spot Still Open. Bellchamber, again at Pippen Ain't Easy, flagged that Chicago should fill its final two-way spot before training camp opens. The current group includes Jaylin Sellers and Tobe Awaka without jersey numbers yet, the likely markers of a decision still pending.

Wilson Works With LeBron. Bankston, at Pippen Ain't Easy, wrote that Caleb Wilson worked out with LeBron James this summer, then argued it doesn't mean much for a rookie who still has to make it on Chicago's practice floor first. Wilson, the No. 4 pick, has yet to play an NBA minute.

Wilson's Quiet Skill. In another Pippen Ain't Easy piece, Bellchamber argued Wilson's path to stardom runs through his quietest offensive skill, not the highlight package. Fair point, but it is a projection: Wilson was Chicago's No. 4 pick in June and has no regular-season game logged yet to test it against.

Remembering Mike Sweetney. ESPN and Hoops Rumors both reported the death of Mike Sweetney at 43, a Georgetown product who played for the Knicks and wore a Bulls uniform too. His NBA career began in New York before a stop in Chicago.

On deck Preseason opens October 7 against the Suns, and Chicago still needs to settle that final two-way spot before then.

Who is Caleb Wilson and why is he getting attention this summer?

Wilson is Chicago's No. 4 pick in the 2026 draft, a 20-year-old forward, and outlets covering the Bulls have written about both his LeBron James workout and his offensive skill set ahead of training camp.

Did a former Bulls player die recently?

Yes, Mike Sweetney, who played for the Knicks and the Bulls after starring at Georgetown, died at age 43, as reported by ESPN and Hoops Rumors.