The Chicago Bulls are inching closer to having their full center rotation available.

Nic Claxton has been sidelined since before the team's first preseason game. The recently acquired big man strained his hamstring during training camp, initially sidelining him for two weeks. Chicago was seemingly hoping to get good news in the days leading up to the regular season opener, but a reevaluation showed that he needed more time.

Tiago Splitter said on Oct. 19 that it would be a couple more weeks before Claxton was ready to take the floor. In the meantime, the Bulls have leaned on Jalen Smith in the starting lineup. Zach Collins has also seen some playing time, though the Bulls have gone small off the bench with Leonard Miller as well.

Nevertheless, before tip-off in Boston, the Sun-Times Joe Cowley provided an update on Claxton. He did an individual workout on Monday, with the hope being that he can officially start practicing with the team next week.

Whether that means the Bulls would throw him into a game next week remains to be seen. They play three times, with road contests on Monday and Wednesday before a home battle with the 76ers on Sunday afternoon. Claxton will surely need a ramp-up period after missing so much time.

If one thing is for sure, having Claxton back should help this team in some capacity. Their rim protection has been a major problem, as they've allowed 53.0 points in the paint a night over this first week (8th most in the NBA). Claxton isn't the rim protector he once was a few years back, but he gives them another body with solid instincts and real versatility.

Smith has played very well to start the year, however. This could make the decision on who should start pretty complicated for Splitter. The floor spacing Smith brings to the floor is a real asset, as it gives both Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis more room to work. Not to mention, the Bulls' three-point shooting has been borderline disastrous, and Smith is one of their few capable long-range threats.

Noa Essengue Returns ...

Noa Essengue returned to the rotation on Monday evening. The second-year forward was forced to sit out the team's meeting with the Washington Wizards due to a head injury sustained in the Bulls' win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Essengue came into Monday questionable but received the green light ahead of tip-off.

For what it's worth, Essengue had easily his best NBA game yet against the Bucks. While he only finished with 4 points, the 19-year-old looked like a true defensive weapon. He came away with several steals and had an incredible block against the backboard. While he's still figuring out how to fit in on the offensive end, Essengue is making it clear that his defense can be a real tool for Tiago Splitter.

Still, it can't be all sunshine and rainbows! Essengue may have reclaimed his spot in the rotation in Boston, but he wasn't nearly as effective against a more experienced Celtics team. He shot just 0-5 from the field and had five fouls. In his 16 minutes of action, the Frenchman was a discouraging -25.

Essengue's mere presence tells us he'll likely continue to get an opportunity, however. The Bulls are obviously in developmental mode, and he remains one of the rawest players on the roster.

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