Tiago Splitter Made a Quiet But Notable Change in Bulls' Battle with 76ers

Tiago Splitter showed he isn't afraid to get creative on Sunday afternoon.

Amid the Chicago Bulls' 1-8 start, the first-year head coach decided to throw something new at the wall. While it may not have stuck long enough to lead the Bulls to victory, it certainly gave them something to think about. Chicago hung around with the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers for a full 48 minutes. It was easily their most competitive performance of the season, propelled by a surprisingly efficient shooting night (52.3 percent).

One of the most notable changes for Splitter came in the starting lineup. With Norman Powell facing back spasms, the veteran sat in favor of Isaac Okoro. The defense-first player pumped some new life into the first five, so much so that it may give Splitter something to think about moving forward.

Nevertheless, while this was the loudest adjustment, it wasn't the only one. Splitter's second unit looked considerably different. One reason for that was the debut of big man Nic Claxton, who had just been cleared to return from his preseason hamstring injury. But Splitter also decided to go with two more new faces in his rotation: Patrick Williams and Jordan Hawkins.

Tiago Splitter Shows Everything is Fluid

Nov 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter reacts during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Looking for a jolt, Tiago Splitter yanked two mainstays from the rotation on Sunday afternoon. Both Buddy Hield and Leonard Miller were kept in warm-ups as Patrick Williams and Jordan Hawkins got a chance to see significant minutes.

Williams taste of rotation action comes after failing to appear in the first seven games of the regular season. To be sure, he was ruled out of a few games due to an adductor strain, but Splitter made it clear on Night 1 that he was out of the rotation. Every player got in the game except the former No. 4 overall pick.

Indeed, Williams' 2026-27 debut came against the New York Knicks on November 4. The Bulls were getting their teeth kicked in and needed a more physically imposing presence. Splitter finally went with Williams, who looked decent enough in his 19+ minutes to earn him another shot on Sunday.

As for Hawkins, his four appearances before the team's battle with Philly all came in mop-up minutes. He saw slightly over 17 minutes on Sunday, contributing 9 points and a block in a surprising +4 showing. His inclusion was particularly surprising considering his two-way status. However, Hawkins does have several years of NBA experience under his belt, and Splitter has shown early this year that he isn't above giving his two-way contract players real run.

“Just a change. We tried with Buddy and Lenny for eight games, and now try a different look," Splitter said. "I think Hawk is doing a great job in practice, same with Pat. He’s being a professional. He was used to playing a lot of minutes last year, and he didn’t have any, and he was ready to compete and play.”

Now, should we expect this rotation to stick moving forward? It's hard to say. In theory, Buddy Hield's shooting is something this group desperately needs, while Leonard Miller undoubtedly fits with how this group wants to play. With that said, neither has impressed to begin the year, and the Bulls did just keep things tight with the East's best team using this exact group.

Williams, in particular, may have a real shot at carving himself out a role. The forward hasn't dropped any jaws in the last two games, but he looked surprisingly composed. It's easy to forget that he has 350 NBA games under his belt. Argubaly, nothing served as a better reminder of this than his three assists, two of which led to some great finishing at the rim. Williams backed down his defender into the paint before locating a cutting big. Simple? Yes, but exactly what Splitter wants to see more of.

Above all else, Splitter's decision serves as a reminder that everything is fluid for this Bulls team. Not only is that naturally what happens when you're 1-8, but that's also life when you're in a rebuild. No one is safe. Everyone has to stay ready.

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