Dailyn Swain struggles in summer league debut

Wilson may have shot the ball reasonably well on Thursday, but this was his worst showing in Las Vegas by some distance. More damaging than the 1-of-6 day from beyond the arc was the turnover count, as the lottery pick was responsible for eight. Wilson has said he does not plan to sit at all, but the Bulls will have nothing to play for in their fifth and final game. And his absence could create opportunities for fellow first-round pick Dailyn Swain (four points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal), who has struggled throughout Chicago’s time in Las Vegas.

While Caleb Wilson has been the toast of summer league, Chicago’s other 2026 first-round pick has struggled mightily in Las Vegas. Swain missed all nine of his field-goal attempts on Monday, including a few layups that failed to draw iron. The good news is that this is “only” summer league, but it would do wonders for Swain’s confidence if he could get going before the end of the week. The Bulls play again on Tuesday, and giving Wilson a day off could make Swain the offensive focal point.

After two seasons at Xavier, the 6-foot-7 Swain followed head coach Sean Miller to Texas for the 2025-26 campaign. In 36 games, he recorded 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.9 three-pointers, shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 81.5 percent from the foul line. While Swain did most of his scoring around the basket and in the mid-range, he did improve as a perimeter shooter, which bodes well for his future. He has good size for an NBA wing and can provide value as a secondary playmaker. New Bulls GM Bryson Graham said he wanted to add players that have size, length, athleticism and physicality. Swain and Caleb Wilson, who they added with the No. 4 pick, both fit that flawlessly. Swain has plenty of upside on both ends of the floor, but he also has a safe floor to be an impactful two-way player.