Bulls Notes: Essengue, Buzelis, Starting Lineup, Claxton

Noa Essengue hasn’t experienced much NBA success so far, but the Bulls still believe he can develop into a productive player, Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune writes in a subscriber-only story. After being selected with the 12th pick in the 2025 draft, Essengue suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and ended his rookie season after just two games. He’s getting his first chance to contribute this fall, averaging 14 minutes per night in six games, and although the results have been mixed, coach Tiago Splitter views him as a potential high-level defender.

“He’s one of the best sliders, if a word existed for it,” Splitter said. “He can pick up guys full court. His ability to move his…