NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 23: Jalen Smith #7 of the Chicago Bulls reacts after scoring a three point basket during the thrid quarter of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on October 23, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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Chicago Bulls center Zach Collins will miss a minimum of four weeks due to left wrist surgery.
The 7-footer is a strong inside/outside presence for Chicago, so on the surface this loss seems significant for the Bulls.
However, there may be a silver lining.
Opportunity for Jalen Smith
Last offseason, the Bulls signed Jalen Smith to a three-year contract worth $27 million, after Smith had a strong offensive season for the Indiana Pacers.
The franchise then proceeded to simply not make much use of him – playing the center just 15 minutes per night – which never made much sense.
Now, with Collins out, this presents the Bulls with a chance to rectify that mistake, and provide a minutes bump for the now 25-year-old.
Smith, who is entering his sixth season, can even mimic the inside/outside game of Collins, as he too can convert shots on the inside, and present himself as a floor-spacer who can take, and make, three-point shots.
This type of versatility is highly-needed within head coach Billy Donovan’s offensive system, which has always relied on big men, who can provide spacing.
Elite per-minute production
Smith has historically been a per-minute production monster. His career per36 numbers sit at 18.9 points and 11.8 rebounds, all while he’s canned over 33% of his three-point shots, and 75% of his free throws, signifying a touch that needs to be further explored.
The Maryland product has averaged just over 16 minutes for his career, meaning he’s never been given a chance to assert himself in a role wherein he plays a substantial amount of minutes, and thus his actual influence remains somewhat in question.
With Collins out, the Bulls now have a chance to see what Smith can do in an expanded role, unless they wish to pivot towards increasing the workload of Nikola Vučević, which would seem like a bad idea given that he’s going to turn 35 right as the season starts.
Smith is there, able, and should theoretically be able to produce big-scale numbers if his minutes are extended. It’s all about giving him the chance to do so.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mortenjensen/2025/10/19/with-zach-collins-out-bulls-must-give-chance-to-jalen-smith/
