Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls

Wed Oct 77:00 PM CTChicago, IL
By JR·2 min read
Suns(0-0)
Bulls(0-0)
Wednesday 10/077:00 PM

TLDR: Wednesday, October 7 is the Bulls' first exhibition of the year and the second for the Suns, and the most interesting thing on the floor might be who's standing in the middle for Phoenix. Nothing counts yet, but jobs are being handed out.

THU OCT 8, 7:00 PM

Phoenix visits Chicago in preseason, the second exhibition for the Suns after a game in Detroit and the first for the Bulls. The main storyline is the Suns' open center job, which Ighodaro and Maluach are competing for with Mark Williams out after shoulder surgery. Chicago is watching Zach Collins' toe as Splitter works new veterans in alongside a young roster.

Phoenix Suns
  • 1 preseason game of rhythm before Chicago
  • Reath signing adds a body at center
  • Mark Williams out after labrum surgery
  • Starting center job between Ighodaro and Maluach still open
  • Short turnaround after playing in Detroit
Chicago Bulls
  • Home floor for preseason opener
  • Full week of camp practices behind them
  • Zach Collins day-to-day with toe soft tissue injury
  • First live action for new veterans in Splitter's system

This one is a preseason game, so judge it that way. Phoenix plays in Detroit on Monday before coming to Chicago, which means the Suns will have 1 exhibition behind them and a short turnaround into this one. Chicago will be playing its first game of the fall at home, after a week of practices at the Advocate Center. Tipoff is 7:00 PM CT at the United Center.

The Suns' biggest problem is at center. Mark Williams had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and is out for an extended stretch, so Jordan Ott has an open job between Oso Ighodaro and Maluach. Ott has said he wants a starter picked before the October 21 opener in Portland, so every preseason minute those 2 get counts as part of the tryout, and that includes this one. Phoenix also signed Duop Reath and Kennedy Chandler right before camp. Reath is another big body to throw into the mix while Williams is out.

There's no board for this game yet, and with a preseason game that's normal. Rotations get set by practice plans more than matchups. The useful question for Wednesday is who plays and for how long, and neither coach has said.

For Chicago, this is Tiago Splitter's first exhibition on the home floor in a camp built around new veterans getting used to a young core. Zach Collins is the name to watch. Splitter said Collins has a soft tissue injury in his toe and wasn't expected to practice Tuesday, which leaves his status for the opener up in the air. Coaches don't push a frontcourt vet in October, so if Collins sits, more minutes go to the young bigs.

With both frontcourts thinned out, the paint is where this game is most worth watching. Phoenix is trying to find out whether Ighodaro or Maluach can hold the starting job. Chicago may be playing without Collins. Neither team will show much of its playbook in early October, but the big-man minutes tell you more than the final score will.

After this, the Bulls host Memphis on Friday and go to Denver on Sunday, so Wednesday is the first of 3 games in 5 nights. Expect starters to play limited minutes and a lot of the fourth quarter to go to camp invites. Watch the first 2 quarters if you're watching for real information.

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