The Chicago Bulls received some unfortunate injury news just days before the regular season opener. The team announced that reserve big man Zach Collins will miss at least four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist.
Collins proved to be an invaluable addition for the Bulls after arriving in the Windy City as part of the midseason trade that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento before last year’s deadline. In 28 appearances with Chicago, Collins averaged 8.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in under 20 minutes per game. Perhaps most importantly, the Bulls were 5.0 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor.
The former San Antonio Spur brought a different dimension to Chicago’s frontcourt than starter Nikola Vucevic. Collins elevated the Bulls’ defense with his toughness and intensity, while also proving to be a versatile offensive piece as a screener and savvy passer.
Noa Essengue’s rotational debut could come immediately
With Collins sidelined until potentially December, Jalen Smith becomes the de facto primary reserve at the five. Still, Collins’ injury opens the door for a player who otherwise wasn’t expected to see early playing time: Noa Essengue.
After Collins and Vucevic, 12th overall pick Essengue is the third-tallest player on the roster. Though the 6-foot-10 Frenchman profiles more as a wing than a true big, he could find himself seeing minutes sooner than expected.
As it stands, Essengue likely sits third on the depth chart at both forward spots—behind Matas Buzelis, Isaac Okoro, Patrick Williams, Julian Phillips, and even Kevin Huerter, who is expected to split time between shooting guard and small forward.
Yet without Collins in tow, Chicago will undoubtedly go smaller, meaning Buzelis and perhaps Essengue could see time at the five in a pinch. Neither player is especially strong, each weighing around 200 pounds, but both possess enough length to deter shots at the rim. Fortunately for the Bulls, they also have one of the league’s better rebounding guards in Josh Giddey.
It’s not as if Vucevic is a true rim deterrent anyway. At 260 pounds, he provides some much-needed bulk to Chicago’s interior, but his rim protection still leaves plenty to be desired. So aside from defensive rebounding, the Bulls don’t have much to lose if Billy Donovan experiments with smaller lineups featuring Buzelis or Essengue at the five.
Moreover, the Bulls experimented with a lineup featuring Vucevic and Smith at the four and five in Chicago’s preseason finale against the bigger Minnesota Timberwolves. For what it’s worth, Smith looked the part as a power forward, draining a three-pointer and swatting three shots.
With Donovan comfortable playing both bigs together and his repeated emphasis on lineup fluidity, any injury to a frontcourt player increases potential playing time for Essengue. And, considering the injured Collins’ position, the rookie’s opportunity grows even further.
Prior to the preseason, it seemed unlikely that Essengue would see the floor anytime soon. The 18-year-old had looked far from comfortable during the abbreviated Summer League. Nonetheless, his preseason performance was a stark contrast to his exhibition showing, proving him to be a much more effective asset in a more controlled style of basketball.
