The Week Ahead: Raptors Open the Real Thing

Opener at Toronto. Wednesday at the Raptors is the first game that goes in the book. Everything from Denver, Milwaukee and Minnesota was preseason, 3-2, and none of it changes the record sitting at 0-0 heading into Scotiabank Arena.

Back-to-back incoming. After Toronto, the Bulls play at Milwaukee on Friday, then host Washington the next night. That's the week's one back-to-back, with a trip to Boston on Monday closing it out. Splitter's rotation gets tested fast.

Four still questionable. Okoro, Claxton, Awaka and Collins all carry the same target date: Wednesday's opener. Okoro's issue is undisclosed, Awaka's is a knee, Collins' a toe, Claxton's a hamstring. None has been cleared yet.

Camp roster shrinks. Orlando Robinson, Drew Peterson, Brandon Boston and Jalen Bridges all left the roster Sunday, the latest trim before the opener. It continues turnover that's run through camp since late September.

Cowley's latest notes. The Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley filed a Sunday roundup touching Giddey, Claxton, Collins, Wilson and Miller. It's a notes column, not new reporting on any one player's status or timeline.

Payroll sits clean. Chicago's books show $164.3 million committed, under the cap, with Giddey's $25 million the largest deal on the roster. The Bulls still owe their 2027 second-round pick to Oklahoma City.

Preseason wraps 3-2. The exhibition slate ended with Caleb Wilson scoring 16 and Jordan Hawkins adding 14 in Friday's win over Minnesota. It was the last tune-up before games start mattering.