Throughout the past five years or so, the Chicago Bulls have faced plenty of questions surrounding their big-man rotation. While Nikola Vucevic has been the clear starter since arriving in Chicago, the backup center spot has pretty much been a revolving door. Last season, it was Jalen Smith. Before that was Andre Drummond, Tony Bradley, Tristan Thompson, then Daniel Gafford… the list goes on.

This season, however, the focus is on Zach Collins. His midseason arrival last year finally gives the Bulls the reliable frontcourt option they’ve been searching for.

Zach Collins’ strong second-half stint in Chicago

At last year’s trade deadline, the Bulls acquired Collins in the three-team deal that sent Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings. The move reshaped Chicago’s roster, trading away its ball-dominant star while adding valuable depth pieces in Collins, Tre Jones, and Kevin Huerter.

Upon setting foot in Chicago, Collins wasted no time making an impression. Over 28 games to close the 2024–25 season, the 27-year-old averaged 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in just under 20 minutes per game. While he can step out and hit a three when needed, what truly separates him from Chicago’s other bigs is his physical, bruising play style around the rim.

More importantly, Collins quickly earned the trust of Billy Donovan and the front office, taking over Jalen Smith’s role as the backup center and showing more consistency and energy throughout his first few weeks in a Bulls uniform than Smith had shown all season. By the end of the year, Collins cemented himself as the Bulls’ primary backup five.

Big man off the bench

Looking ahead to the 2025–26 season, Collins is expected to remain the first big man off the bench and a key piece of the Bulls’ second unit. His versatility allows Donovan to pair him with virtually any frontcourt partner, giving Chicago a blend of toughness, rim protection, and spacing that had been missing before his acquisition.

Defensively, Collins is probably the most balanced of the Bulls centers. He pairs his strong physical tools with impressive rim-protection metrics (ranking in the 82nd percentile in rim defense, along with a 2.8 percent block rate), and impacts plays beyond just blocks and rebounds. While not an elite shot blocker, his activity, mobility, and willingness to contest everything make him the perfect option behind Vucevic.

Offensively, the big man out of Gonzaga brings a similar balance. His ability to operate in pick-and-pop actions with Ayo Dosunmu and Jones adds a new layer to Chicago’s bench offense. During his second-half stint with the Bulls last season, he shot an impressive 67.3 percent from inside the arc, good enough to rank sixth-best in the league had he maintained that pace over a full season.

Collins is the perfect fit for the Bulls

While Collins might not play exceptionally in any particular area, he’s comfortably above average in nearly every aspect, making him a true jack-of-all-trades center. Injuries have limited his consistency in past seasons, but when healthy, he has proven that he can significantly impact a game as a role player.

Ultimately, Collins is the kind of two-way big the Bulls have been missing for years: A reliable two-way center who can bring physicality and stability to the second unit. If he can make it through the entire 2025-26 season healthy, he could quietly become one of the team’s most valuable reserves.