Bulls Lose Nic Claxton for Multiple Weeks with Injury, Will He Miss Season Opener?

The Chicago Bulls will head into their first preseason game without their starting center.

Head coach Tiago Splitter told reporters after Monday's training camp practice that big man Nic Claxton has sustained a hamstring injury. The veteran is expected to be re-evaluated in two weeks. Who will take his place in the starting lineup for Wednesday's preseason opener at the United Center remains to be seen.

Having said that, all signs point toward Jalen Smith hearing his name called. While Zach Collins is also back in the mix this season, he came into training camp rehabbing a quad injury. To be sure, the issue for Collins doesn't appear to be significant, though the Bulls have been taking things slow with the 28-year-old.

Tobe Awaka and Orlando Robinson are two other bigs currently on the training camp roster. Awaka is signed to a two-way contract and played plenty of center for the Bulls in Summer League.

Bulls Lose Valuable Time with Nic Claxton

Sep 28, 2026; Chiacgo, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nic Claxton (9) poses during media day. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The two-week timeline means that Nic Claxton will be re-evaluated on Oct. 19, which is a mere two days away from the organization's season opener against the Toronto Raptors. It's also important to note that a re-evaluation does not guarantee an immediate return. Especially when we consider the training camp and preseason reps that Claxton will miss, there is a chance the Bulls aren't comfortable throwing him onto the court two days later.

Hamstring injuries are known to linger. Especially for an athletic and springy big man like Claxton, it will be important to monitor his recovery – let alone how confidently he is moving upon his return. For what it's worth, the Bulls' home opener is set for Oct. 24 against the Washington Wizards. If Claxton does get the green light to return to basketball activities in two weeks, perhaps this is a more realistic return date.

Nevertheless, losing Claxton for any period of time will undoubtedly hurt the Bulls. Even if winning isn't the No. 1 priority in the short term, Claxton was acquired from the Nets this summer to play a meaningful role. His rim-protecting skills are part of the reason Tiago Splitter has started to implement such an aggressive front-line defense. Neither Smith nor Collins is anywhere near the defensive force that Claxton has proven he can be in the past.

Likewise, Claxton was going to give Josh Giddey one of his most exciting pick-and-roll partners yet. For a Bulls team that is still coming into its own offensively, this projects to be a good duo to lean on early in the year.

The good news is that Claxton should be back on the court this month. He could miss a minimal number of games, if any at all. However, training camp and preseason are never an ideal time to be stuck on the sideline. This is a crucial chemistry-building period on the court. Not being able to have Claxton currently work out the kinks with his new teammates could make the start of 2026-27 that much harder.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X and Facebook for the latest news

Add us as a preferred source on Google