Bulls Training Camp Day 4: Roster Cut, Caleb Wilson Adjusting, Noa Essengue Talks

Ahead of practice on Friday afternoon, the Chicago Bulls waived guard Peter Suder. Signed to a training camp deal only a couple of weeks ago, Suder felt like one of the invitees who may have a real shot at the team's final two-way contract.

An undrafted rookie, Suder put together an extremely strong season for Miami of Ohio, leading them into the NCAA Tournament. Many believed he could hear his name called during the 2026 NBA Draft thanks to his positional size, spot-up shooting ability, and facilitating ability. Suder even earned a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, only to be waived following a rough Summer League.

Suder will now likely have an option to join the team's G League affiliate. Meanwhile, the Bulls will move on to another new face, signing Isaiah Stevens to a training camp deal. They made a similar roster tweak earlier this week, waiving Marquel Sutton to bring in Jalen Bridges.

For what it's worth, these moves are not uncommon during the preseason. NBA teams are able to carry up to 21 players, and they will use this training camp period to evaluate several borderline NBA talents. Likewise, by extending these training camp deals (typically Exhibit 10 contracts), they are also incentivizing a player to join their G League roster upon being waived.

Stevens is a 25-year-old guard who went undrafted in 2024. He proceeded to sign a deal with the Miami Heat, playing in G League before eventually earning a two-way contract. Stevens went on to spend the 2025-26 season with the Sacramento Kings on another two-way deal. He's appeared in a total of six NBA games.

The former Colorado State standout finished Year 1 as the G League assist leader. He averaged 9.3 dimes per game before averaging 8.6 last season. To be sure, he will have an uphill battle when it comes to earning a roster spot, as he stands just five-foot-eleven and struggles to shoot consistently from deep. However, with the Bulls built around some dynamic young wings, it makes sense to evaluate guards who are capable of setting them up.

Things Slowing Down for Caleb Wilson

Sep 28, 2026; Chiacgo, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (8) poses during media day. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It may only be Day 4 of training camp, but Caleb Wilson feels the difference. The rookie spoke to reporters for the third time this week, and he declared Friday his most comfortable day yet.

"Honestly, my first two days, it seemed like everything was moving so fast out there because obviously you're in the NBA," Wilson said. "Everybody is so athletic, and the gaps close really fast. But now it's way more chill. Today was a really good day for me. I watched film, understood it, and playing a lot really helps you. Probably the best development to figure stuff out is playing. I feel like I made a lot of growth in the last couple of days."

While four days may not feel like much time on paper, training camp is a crash course for NBA newbies. Wilson is getting his first real taste of matching up against NBA-level athletes, and he's learning how to adjust in real time.

The fact that he can feel the difference in such a short amount of time speaks further to his potential. Wilson wasn't picked at No. 4 simply because of his athletic traits. The 20-year-old checks nearly every box from both a physical and cerebral standpoint. The latter is arguably going to help him the most throughout the preseason. The better he sees the game early on, the quicker he can successfully put his athletic gifts to use.

As for the playing time, Wilson is getting plenty of it. Tiago Splitter has the group running lots of five-on-five action early in camp, which has obviously led to some friendly competition. Big man Jalen Smith declared on Thursday that Wilson has tried to jump over him a handful of times, only for it to "not really work out good for him."

Can you guess who clapped back? While Wilson agreed that he has yet to put Smith on a poster, it sure sounds like he's come close:

"Styx does this thing where he exaggerates a lot," Wilson laughed. "I will say, I have tried to dunk on Styx a couple of times. More often than not, they're a foul. But I've never scored on a dunk over Styx. I have never done it on Styx, in all honesty. I feel like in the coming days or maybe next year, it'll happen."

Noa Essengue's First Chat

Sep 28, 2026; Chiacgo, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Noa Essengue (2) poses during media day. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Noa Essengue's Summer League outing was one to forget. The second-year forward looked like one of the Chicago Bulls' roughest players, consistently losing the ball and stumbling over his own feet. It appeared to leave Tiago Splitter – who coached the first two games – frustrated.

To Essengue's credit, however, he has bounced back well. Tiago Splitter praised the forward earlier this week, calling out his all-around aggressiveness on the practice court. He said it's clear that Essengue is fighting for playing time, which is far from a given on this current roster.

"After Summer League, I talked a lot with Tiago and Bryson," Essengue said. "They just told me to just play my game, play free both offensively and defensively ... I just have to step up my game."

Essengue said he has been working to pressure the ball more consistently on defense. For what it's worth, this does appear to be a team-wide goal. Splitter has talked about the defensive side of the ball a lot in Week 1, as the Bulls sound prepared to attack ball-handlers higher up on the court this season.

As for the offensive end, Essengue said he needs to keep things simple. This obviously means hitting his open shots, but also using his size and length to go downhill. Essengue is standing six-foot-eleven heading into Year 2, giving the Bulls another fascinating forward to plug into the lineup.

The hope for the Bulls is also that matching up against Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson day in and day out will push Wilson in the right direction. The 19-year-old tipped his cap to both on Friday, sharing how fun it's been to both face them and share the court with them during camp.

"That's amazing. High level players, obviously. Both of them have amazing skills," Essengue said. "They can shoot the ball, drive to the basket, they're both physical. For me, it's just a blessing to play against them. It's helped me to step up my game every day."

If your Splitter and Graham, that's exactly what you want to hear.

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