CHICAGO — Two games into NBA Summer League, the Chicago Bulls have a pretty clear picture of what they’re working with. Caleb Wilson looks like the real deal. Dailyn Swain? He looks like a guy who needs to get out of his own head.
Swain’s stat lines tell the story. In a 97-96 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies last Friday, he put up 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Decent enough. But three days later against the Utah Jazz, he scored just 4 points and missed all nine of his field goal attempts in an 80-63 loss. That’s the kind of back-to-back that gets a rookie some serious face time with the coaching staff.
Tiago Splitter, the Bulls’ Summer League head coach, didn’t sugarcoat it when he talked to reporters. He said Swain is thinking too much and not trusting his instincts on the floor.
“I talked to him and he’s overthinking a little bit too much,” Splitter said, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s got to go there and just play basketball. Shoot when he’s open. We’re going to watch film with him again and try and get him to play a little bit more loose and make good decisions.”
Splitter zeroed in on a specific problem: Swain hesitates. He’s not decisive when he has the ball, and that hesitation is killing his game in a setting where rhythm matters more than raw talent.
“He’s not being firm with his decisions on the court,” Splitter said. “Open, you gotta shoot it. Drive in a straight line. Sometimes he’s trying too much to get a gap. You gotta choose one side and go. We’ve been talking, and you know this is part of this. I told the guys this is the first step in the NBA. They’re nervous and some of them are not playing well, so that’s why we have the Summer League. To go through this, the struggles, and learn from it. Also, for us coaches to understand the players that we have and how to help them on the court, so it’s really important for us to even go through the struggles sometimes.”
This is exactly what Summer League is for, honestly. It’s not about winning games. It’s about figuring out which guys can handle the jump and which ones need more work. Swain is clearly in the latter category right now, but Splitter’s tone isn’t doom and gloom. He’s treating this like a teachable moment, which is probably the smartest approach for a player who’s clearly pressing.
The Bulls have a quick turnaround here. They play the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, and that’s another chance for Swain to shake off the nerves and just let it fly. If he can hit a couple early shots, the whole dynamic might change. If he doesn’t, well, that’s what film sessions and summer reps are for.
No one’s panicking yet. But Swain needs to show something soon, or the narrative around him is going to get loud.
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