Chicago’s first glimpse of Tiago Splitter’s system will come months earlier than expected.
Splitter will coach the Bulls’ first two NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas: Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies and July 13 against the Utah Jazz. After those games, Splitter will hand off head coaching duties to assistants Martin Rancik, Henry Domercant and Austin Dufault.
Established NBA head coaches rarely coach in summer league, which typically serves as an opportunity for assistants or G League coaches to cut their teeth while wrangling a short-term roster of mostly undrafted first-, second- and third-year players.
But Splitter feels a hands-on approach is necessary. This is his first year in Chicago. And after stepping in as the Portland Trail Blazers interim coach last October, this is also his first summer as a head coach. Building a system takes time — and Splitter doesn’t want to waste any.
“I want to set the tone on this first summer league camp,” Splitter said. “Especially having guys like Caleb (Wilson) and Dailyn (Swain) that we drafted, they’re going to be important for this organization. So I want to just set the tone and work with the staff and get familiar with everybody.”
For Splitter, one key to summer league is building his relationship with the two new draftees and 2025 first-round pick Noa Essengue, all three of whom are expected to play in all five summer league games. Other names on the roster might catch the attention of Chicago basketball fans — most notably Boo Bouie, who went undrafted in 2024 after setting Northwestern’s career scoring record — but the focus will land mostly on that young trio.
Splitter hopes to build an identity for the Bulls on the defensive end, creating a stalwart style that bleeds into the offense. And in summer league, he will emphasize one area that will become familiar in the regular season: winning the possession battle.
The Bulls can’t afford to allow their opponents to take more shots. While the roster remains malleable as free agency continues, the Bulls aren’t set up to shoot with high efficiency as they focus on improving the shots of players such as Wilson, Essengue and Matas Buzelis.
With time and development, those players could turn into more proficient shooters. But in the immediate future, the Bulls will need to be a drive-first team that wins games by outrebounding and outdefending their opponents.
“You definitely want to put them in a good situation,” Splitter said. “Try to play fast and try to get to the basket and to the paint and to rebounds. That’s how I envision this team.”
When the Bulls arrive in Las Vegas on Wednesday, they will draw greater fanfare than in many prior seasons.
Bulls forward Caleb Wilson speaks to the media as he sits next to executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham at an introductory news conference Friday, June 26, 2026, at the Advocate Center. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)
As the No. 4 pick in a highly rated draft class, Wilson is one of the highest-profile selections the Bulls have made in the last decade. Their first three games are against the top three picks: AJ Dybantsa (Washington Wizards), Darryn Peterson (Jazz) and Cameron Boozer (Grizzlies). Each of their first four games will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center, the main stage of the summer league circus.
But Splitter doesn’t want this summer league stint to define or distract his young core from its long-term goals. The next two weeks will inform the coaching staff about many aspects of the team — individual strengths and weaknesses, realistic expectations for players’ roles and goals for the upcoming season.
Although it will provide a glimpse into his system and style as a head coach, Splitter emphasized a realistic outlook on his summer league debut with the Bulls.
“I just want to be worried about our team — about their development, how they’re approaching every day, how we are creating good habits,” Splitter said. “This is a long run. This is not about this summer. (It’s) how we create habits for these young people, these young players.
“That’s how I approach summer league. We’ve got to learn how to work every day.”
NBA Summer League
Thursday-July 19, Las Vegas
Bulls games
Friday: vs. Grizzlies, 7 p.m., Prime
July 13: vs. Jazz, 8 p.m., ESPN
July 14: vs. Wizards, 7 p.m., Prime
July 16: vs. Lakers, 5 p.m., Prime
July 17-19: TBD
Bulls roster
0 Kennedy Chandler, G, 6-0
2 Jaylin Sellers, G, 6-4
5 Dailyn Swain, F, 6-7
8 Caleb Wilson, F, 6-10
13 Antonio Reeves, G, 6-5
15 Jalen Washington, C, 6-10
18 Grant Newell, F, 6-9
19 Tobe Awaka, F, 6-8
20 Boo Buie, G, 6-2
21 Donovan Atwell, F, 6-5
22 Malik Williams, C, 6-11
24 Noa Essengue, F, 6-11
29 Keyshawn Bryant, F, 6-6
34 Charles Bediako, F, 6-11
95 Houston Mallette, G, 6-5