Tiago Splitter wasn’t being coy as much as he was actually showing his hand.
The topic was defense — a topic the Bulls coach holds close to his heart — and specifically who would be the best option to guard opposing starting power forwards this season?
After all, that was a role that Patrick Williams was supposed to still be holding down since he was drafted in 2020 but has instead turned into a by-committee over that span. From Alex Caruso to Isaac Okoro to Matas Buzelis, Bulls coaches have tried them all.
Now, it just might fall in the hands of the rook.
Reminder: Caleb Wilson not only welcomes that but welcomes it with his usual bravado.
“I’m going to go do what’s gotta be done,” Wilson said of guarding the elite power forwards in the Association. “That’s the type of dude I am. Of course, it doesn’t really matter who I’m playing against because they gotta guard me too.
“I’m going to go out there and be as physical as I can. Of course I’ve gotta learn some tough stages but I’m comfortable guarding whoever they put in front of me.”
And that’s where it could get very interesting for the Bulls and Splitter.
Yes, with a projected starting five of Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Buzelis, Wilson and Nic Claxton it could be Wilson that gets the first crack, which means Buzelis can move to a more natural three spot for him, but it also means Splitter knows this group is versatile enough defensively to matchup a lot of different ways.
Take opposing point guards for example.
Splitter sounded very comfortable deploying a variety of different looks at the other team on any given night.
Asked who would guard the point guard right after declaring Wilson would probably be locked on a four, Splitter replied, “Who is the point guard? Like who are we playing against? Some nights Caleb might guard him, some nights Josh, some Norman, some Matas. It depends. We might put Nic on a point guard. We gotta see what is the matchup, who are we playing against, and we’ll figure it out.”
That’s why Wilson is not only getting training camp minutes in the paint defensively but going through a boot camp of learning perimeter defense.
“I think with Caleb, one of the things we’ve been talking about is teaching him how to guard on the perimeter,” Splitter said. “He’s been guarding his whole life, especially in college, he’s been guarding mostly as a four, a five, as a big, so now he has to get used to being on the perimeter and navigate screens, going over, under … those little things he’s got to learn and it’s part of the development. We want to be more aggressive (on defense).”
He might have a group to do that, especially from a length standpoint.
Claxton is listed at 6-foot-11, Wilson is up to 6-10, Buzelis 6-8, Giddey 6-8 and Powell a mere 6-4. Even the bench has 6-10 Leonard Miller, 6-8 Jalen Smith, and 6-9 Zach Collins.
“Clax, Caleb, having Lenny, we’re a really tall team,” Buzelis said of the defense. “I remember walking in (the other day), and I was just looking around like, ‘Man, we’re pretty big.’ We’ve got a lot of fours, guys that can make plays, athleticism. That just makes you more comfortable defensively.”
A nice comfort to have. Then again, not that Wilson really needs it.
“Every matchup is different,” Wilson added of his role defensively. “You’ll have your advantages and disadvantages, but over time, the stronger I get, I feel like I have an advantage in every way.”