SLAP is the new standard

First-year executive Bryson Graham drafts and builds by SLAP: size, length, athleticism, physicality. New coach Tiago Splitter wants the same. The current guards don't check every box.

Defense sets the tone

Graham put the philosophy plainly this offseason, and it starts in the backcourt.

“When you compete on the defense end, your team typically competes harder.”

Camp is two weeks out

With Bulls camp a little over two weeks away, the spotlight lands on the backcourt, starters and reserves alike, to see if they can absorb what Splitter preaches.

Miami scrimmages proved little

There was progress in team-only scrimmages in Miami last month. Nobody in the building is treating that as evidence.

Don't strand Norman Powell

Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, Rob Dillingham and rookie Dailyn Swain all need to step up defensively so Powell, now 33, isn't left alone on an island.

Splitter will adapt

The new coach has a system in mind but says he'll shape it around what the roster actually does well.

“I have a vision, I have a way I want to play, but you also have to explore what they do best.”

The Spurs inheritance

Splitter came up under the Spurs umbrella, where ball movement and the extra pass were a way of life. His offense demands both.

Two pass-first guards

Giddey and Jones are both pass-first ballhandlers who hunt the best available shot rather than their own. That's exactly the profile Splitter's offense wants.

Giddey rebounds like a forward

Giddey gives Splitter real positional size in the backcourt. His 8.3 boards per game last season were a career high.

A familiar blueprint

Splitter just coached point forward Deni Avdija, who posted Giddey-like numbers. Expect some of those offensive sets to carry over.

Starters already settled

Giddey and Powell open camp locked into the starting backcourt. Billy Donovan's three-guard looks, often injury-driven, are done now that the frontcourt is stronger.

Giddey's legacy season

He got paid last offseason, four years and $100 million. Now he's surrounded by the most talent he's had in Chicago and can be the face of a team that meets expectations.

Powell is a two-way bet

If the veteran fits, great. If not, the Bulls can flip him to a contender. His presence has already been a plus, maybe more off the court than on it.

Jones, pro and trade chip

The consummate pro has played winning basketball on a losing team. He's a key reserve and a key piece on the trade chessboard if the right deal appears.

Swain and Dillingham must prove it

Swain should chase minutes as a bench defender, the way Jimmy Butler started. For Dillingham, the No. 8 pick in 2024, it's sink or swim, and he's spent the offseason training with Powell.