Chicago Bulls Injury Report
The Chicago Bulls have been a team that has suffered many injuries this season. Most recently, Lonzo Ball has been out since January with a torn meniscus in his left knee. At first, Bulls management thought that Ball would be back during the playoffs. However, last week, the team announced that he will not be returning to the court for the postseason.
Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine has been dealing with a knee injury for some time. He is said to be around 70 percent healthy, but is still being monitored by the Bulls. The team hasn’t commented on whether LaVine will return to practice or play in the game against the Cavaliers on Saturday.
The Bulls’ star has been battling knee pain for several months and was reported to be heading to a California specialist. But the latest update on LaVine is a good one. Although it’s still unclear how long he will be out of the lineup, it’s good to know that he won’t be out for long.
Coby White
The Chicago Bulls have added Coby White to their injury report. The guard has been out of practice with a torn left labrum since June 10 and is expected to be back in about four weeks. In the meantime, he will likely be practicing with the Bulls’ G League affiliate and will participate in shootarounds.
White, 28, is expected to return sometime in November. The timetable varies from player to player, so the Bulls have yet to release a full return date. However, NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson pointed to mid-November as the likely timeframe. The three to four-week estimate would put White back in contact practice on November 3 or 10.
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler has been a key contributor for the Heat this season, but multiple injuries have limited him this postseason. Most recently, he missed Game 5 of the Heat’s first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks. While his injury is still unknown, he is likely to miss Game 4 as well. The Heat will likely get an update on Butler’s status from Spoelstra, who will likely speak to the media during the next few days.
The Miami Heat have not listed Butler on their injury report, so it would be premature to write off his absence from Game 3. The team rested Butler on Sunday, but he is expected to be ready for the start in Game 4. His salary on FanDuel is $7,600, and he’s projected to average 43.1 fantasy points and 21.3 points per game. He also projects to average 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists, so he’s worth a look if you’re looking to build a solid lineup around him.
Alex Caruso
The Chicago Bulls have listed guard Alex Caruso in their injury report. The guard suffered an inadvertent hit to the face during Game 4 and is currently in the concussion protocol. The team tweeted the update on their official account. Caruso is expected to be out for seven to 10 days.
He signed a four-year, $37 million contract with the Bulls during the offseason. He spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and has been a key rotation player for the Bulls this season. He was a key cog in the Bulls’ run to the 2019-20 championship. However, the COVID-19 outbreak forced the team to postpone two games, including the one against the Toronto Raptors. As a result, 10 players from the Bulls entered league health protocols.
Nikola Vucevic
Nikola Vucevic, the starting center for the Chicago Bulls, has been sidelined with a strained right hamstring. His absence would be devastating for the Bulls. His replacement at the five spot could be Derrick Jones Jr., or even Tristan Thompson.
The Bulls are expected to rest some of their high-minute players in the final regular-season game. Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine are all expected to sit out Game 3. Meanwhile, Alex Caruso is a question mark with a lower back contusion. Meanwhile, Matt Thomas is also out with a right leg contusion.
