Should the Bulls Already Be Concerned About Dailyn Swain in Year 1?

As Caleb Wilson left Summer League, he probably felt like an action hero walking in slow motion with an epic explosion behind him.

As Daily Swain left Summer League, he probably felt like a cartoon character sliding on a banana peel into a dumpster that was then crushed by an anvil.

The first taste of NBA action could not have been more different for the two rookies. Wilson was arguably the best player on the Thomas & Mack Center court, posting countless highlights and earning All-Summer League First Team honors. He averaged an impressive 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks a game – all while defying expectations with a 41.9 percent success rate from behind the arc.

As for Swain, he had one of the worst showings of any 2026 draft class member. The swingman suited up in four games, posting 4.3 points on 12.9 percent from the field. Yes, you read that right. He made a mere three field goals in Las Vegas, and none of them came from downtown (0-9).

To say that Swain looked out of his element would be an understatement. While he didn't necessarily look outmatched physically, the speed of the game threw him for a loop. He was constantly overthinking decisions and struggling to look like the same confident scorer. Speaking of which, finishing over the top of defenders in the paint was a serious problem. The guard repeatedly had his shot swatted or failed to convert.

As a three-year college player who is fresh off a breakout year at Texas, it's hard not to deem the performance a tad concerning. Swain should have had the upper hand on some of the competition. Not to mention, he was viewed as a worthwhile Top 15 prospect because of his two-way impact and efficient isolation scoring. Neither was on display in Las Vegas.

To be sure, there were certainly some who entered the draft skeptical of Swain's skills. He didn't offer a whole lot off the ball and was a late bloomer when it came to his bucket-getting. Of course, the fact that he also didn't provide a long-range jumper was hard to ignore.

It just wasn't all that easy to envision Swain fitting at the next level, and he didn't do a whole lot to answer that question at Summer League. It's hard not to then think about his immediate adjustment to the NBA, when things are only going to get harder. Could this lead to Swain sitting out of the rotation to begin the year? Might he spend more time in the G League than originally thought?

If one thing is for sure, the rumors that the Bulls were interested in Bennedict Mathurin only raised more eyebrows when it came to the team's immediate expectations for Swain. The two share some similarities on paper, and it would be a tad bizarre to envision both on the floor together.

Nevertheless, a lot of the concerns come off more like offseason fodder than fully justified. Swain is just entering the NBA, and he deserves more than four Summer League games to show what he can do.

The Bulls Should Feel Just Fine About Dailyn Swain

Mar 25, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) addresses the media in a press conference during a practice session ahead of the west regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Expectations should always be tempered for an incoming rookie. As cliché as it may sound, it takes time for the game to slow down, and this is particularly important for a player like Swain.

Once again, Swain's No. 1 skill set coming out of Texas was his isolation scoring. He was incredibly crafty off the ball and had a fantastic feel for when and where to attack. Doing this against NBA defenses was always going to be more difficult and thus come with a learning curve. There is reason to believe, however, that Swain can put these tools to use once he has a better understanding of NBA schemes.

Heck, it's not like Swain wasn't getting to the rim at Summer League. He was actually pretty good at providing downhill pressure and getting into the teeth of the defense. Obviously, yes, he needs to become a whole lot more comfortable finishing inside, but reaching the rim is the first step.

There is also something to be said about the position the Bulls put Swain in. Head coach Tiago Splitter asked a lot of Swain right off the bat, tasking him with the role of primary facilitator in Game 1 and some of Game 2. Again, he may have been on the ball a lot at Texas, but Swain isn't built right now to handle those responsibilities. The fact that you could almost see him thinking through the offense in real-time spoke to that. He is far better equipped to be a secondary playmaker.

Do I blame Splitter for putting Swain in that spot? Not necessarily. You might as well see how he could handle it ahead of training camp. But it does serve as a good reminder that the Bulls must be careful about how they use Swain early on. The last thing you want to do is make life harder on him or hurt his confidence.

Indeed, Swain's ugly Summer League showing shouldn't be some kind of red flag but rather a valuable lesson for both parties. Swain undoubtedly walked away with a better understanding of what life will look like in Year 1. Meanwhile, the Bulls should have walked away with a better idea of how to put him in a position to succeed.

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