If there were one word to describe the Chicago Bulls’ season so far, it would be “injured.”
The injuries started in the offseason when Coby White suffered a calf strain in August. After all of the Achilles tears last season, teams have been very cautious with calf strains, giving players multiple weeks to heal. White seemed to have a more severe strain, as he missed all of the preseason and the first 11 games, making his debut on November 16th. That is 2.5 months of recovery.
Then, in the preseason, Zach Collins fractured his wrist, causing him to miss the first 21 games of the season. When Collins finally returned to the lineup, five other Bulls were missing time with injuries. Jalen Smith was dealing with a hamstring strain that would keep him out for five games. Isaac Okoro was missing his seventh straight game due to a back injury that would keep him out for eight games. Kevin Huerter was dealing with a hip injury that would last four games. Ayo Dosunmu had a thumb sprain, and Tre Jones had a sprained ankle.
Before Collins returned, the team announced that their first-round pick, Noa Essengue, would miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his shoulder.
Currently, Collins is out again, this time with a toe injury. White reaggravated his calf injury and will miss some games, and Josh Giddey suffered a hamstring strain that will cause him to miss a few weeks. With the trade deadline coming up, the Bulls can not stay healthy.
Injuries Shaping the Future
The Bulls are going to have a difficult time winning without Giddey. Giddey carried the Bulls to a 5-0 start to the season without White and Collins. Even after a losing streak, the Bulls still had an above .500 record when White returned.
White reaggravated his calf injury in the first quarter against the Timberwolves, but the Bulls still had the score within two points in the third quarter. But after Giddey left, the Bulls got outscored by 33 points and lost 136-101.
Luckily, White’s injury is labeled “calf tightness,” and he will be reevaluated in a week. Collins will be reevaluated in 10 days, and Giddey in two weeks.
Chicago can live without White and Collins for a week or two, but they can’t live without Giddey.
The Bulls have already been reported to be one of the biggest sellers at the trade deadline. The Giddey injury almost forces the front office to clean house and start looking towards next season.
Injuries have dictated how the Bulls’ season has gone so far, but now they are influencing the future. Matas Buzelis could develop in his new role without White or Giddey. If the Giddey injury causes a losing streak, the team would trade away productive veterans, which could force the Bulls out of the play-in and give them better odds for the NBA Draft.
Fans have been demanding that Arturas Karnisovas tank; to give up on winning the play-in game, and focus on the future. Fans have also demanded a longer leash for Buzelis, allowing him to develop by playing through mistakes. They might get their wish, not through a change in mindset by the front office or the coach, but through injuries.
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