Category: Bulls Injury Report

Bulls’ Lonzo Ball shares optimistic update on injury return plans

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball recently shared some thoughts on his injury recovery.

It’s officially been over two full years since Lonzo Ball stepped on an NBA basketball court for the Chicago Bulls. When Chicago brought him on board, the plan was clear – be competitive in the East. And when he was healthy, they found success. They were one of the top teams in the conference in the early stages of the season.

Ball has been dealing with a knee injury for the past two seasons. He missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season and is now slated to miss all of this year as well. The Bulls have missed him, but he remains optimistic.

The Bulls point guard recently confirmed that his plan is absolutely to get back on the court. He’s working towards it and will continue to do so.

“I definitely plan on playing again,” Ball said via KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “After surgery three, I feel like it’s going well so far, no setbacks. So for me it’s just keep my head up, just keep doing the work. Rehab has been long. It feels like every day is almost the same. But I’m getting better each week and that’s all I can ask for. It feels good to be around the guys. You can feel a new energy in the building, at least coming from my point of view.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan also shared his optimistic outlook on the situation.

“The biggest thing we’ve tried to do is make sure he’s in the right hands to go through the rehab and recover and try to get as close to fully healthy as he possibly can,” Donovan said. “At some point when he’s cleared to play and this continues to move in the right direction, he’s going to need some time. I am hopeful and optimistic that he’ll be back with us.

Ball may not be back this year, but the Bulls are ready for whenever he’s ready.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Ayo Dosunmu discusses re-aggrevating injury in Bulls loss to Cavaliers

After re-aggrevating his injury in the Chicago Bulls’ loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ayo Dosunmu shared an update.

It’s been a rough year for the Chicago Bulls on the injury front. Zach LaVine missed significant time, Nikola Vucevic was out for a bit, and a bunch of other players have missed some time, too. They’ve managed to turn their season around, but the injury bug keeps catching up to them.

Third-year point guard Ayo Dosunmu recently hurt his shoulder, and ahead of the Bulls’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, he was on the team’s injury report. Unfortunately for him and the Bulls, Dosunmu got hurt again in their contest against the Cavaliers and was ruled out for the final 9:12 of the game.

After the game, Dosunmu detailed the injury he’s been dealing with and what happened that led to him re-injuring it on Monday night.

“In the San Antonio game, I had caught a stinger and it was bothering me. Pretty much all year but it wasn’t every day, just on the occasion when I got hit,” Dosunmu said via KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “And I got hit in San Antonio. [On Monday], I went for an offensive rebound and there was some contact and my shoulder just went numb, dead and weak.”

The Bulls have plenty of guards on the roster, but losing Dosunmu would be a serious blow, as he’s been a big part of their success this season,

So far this year, he’s averaging 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field and 36.8% from behind the three-point line, producing for the Bulls in all areas of the game.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Bulls’ Zach LaVine provides update on injury after return to action

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine recently spoke about how his foot has been feeling since returning from injury.

When the Chicago Bulls started the season at 5-14, nothing was going right. And despite the fact that they’ve turned things around since, they’re still dealing with a serious case of the injury bug. A ton of their top players have missed significant time, yet they’ve managed to pull themselves into the Play-In race.

Zach LaVine missed 17 games from November 30 to January 3, but while he was out, the Bulls completely turned their season around. Since he’s been back, the Bulls have gone 4-2, dropping a tough game to the Golden State Warriors and a blowout against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’re still trending in the right direction.

The Bulls star recently spoke about how his foot has been feeling since returning from injury.

“Couple overtime games, back-to-back kicks you in shape pretty quick. I’m tired, sore but I feel good overall and happy to be back on the court,” LaVine said via KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “And I think I’ve been solid considering the fact I missed 17 games. I feel I found a rhythm pretty quickly and been able to do a lot of things on the court, including defensively.”

Since returning from injury, LaVine has averaged 16.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists while shooting 49.3% from the field and 39.5% from behind the three-point line.

After coming off the bench for a couple of games, LaVine’s scoring role has still slated behind Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and youngster Coby White, who stepped up in a big way while the Bulls shooting guard was out with an injury.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Are the Chicago Bulls getting healthy at just the right time?

Was the team’s early season struggles more of an aberration, or did these injuries provide the necessary cover for the Bulls to reinvent themselves?

Are the Chicago Bulls getting healthy at just the right time? With star lead guard Zach LaVine finally healthy again and not making waves as he reintegrated into how the Bulls have been playing without him to greater success, so too is staring Chicago center Nikola Vucevic now that his recent groin issues seem to be behind him.

While there have been some ongoing issues still in need of ironing out, as whole, the Bulls seem to have found a formula for success without these two key players — and more importantly, their reintroduction seems to be making the ball club better. Was the team’s early season struggles more of an aberration, or did these injuries provide the necessary cover for the Bulls to reinvent themselves?

Whatever the answer is in reality, the folks behind the “Locked On Bulls” podcast weighed in on what they think is going on with Chicago’s success in the wake of those twin injuries.

Check it out above!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Bulls’ Alex Caruso details how he’s feeling amid injury recovery

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso revealed how his injury recovery has been going.

The Chicago Bulls have been riddled with injuries this season, adding to the already-poor outlook they had to begin the season. Zach LaVine missed a ton of time, Nikola Vucevic was out for a while, and Torrey Craig is still out and set to miss multiple more weeks moving forward.

In addition, Alex Caruso is currently out with a cervical strain. The veteran guard has been a key piece of the Bulls’ success this season, and as the trade deadline inches closer, he could be one of their best assets. However, he needs to get back out on the court first.

Caruso recently spoke about his injury recovery and how it’s gone. (H/t Nick Raguz of Bulls News)

“The training staff has been taking care of me and I’ve been resting a lot,” Caruso said via KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “It feels good to be back on the court [Sunday].”

Head coach Billy Donvovan also provided an update on Caruso and Patrick Williams, who is also dealing with an injury. He noted that Caruso took part in non-contact practice on Sunday, but Williams did not.

So far this season, Caruso is averaging 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 51.0% from the floor and 42.6% from beyond the three-point arc.

The Bulls are going to be a team to watching heading into the trade deadline, and plenty of teams will undoubtedly be chomping at the bit to land Caruso. Chicago should want him to get healthy for the sake of their internal improvement, but also so they can explore potential trades.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Billy Donovan provides injury updates on Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams

The Chicago Bulls gave injury updates on Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams.

As the Chicago Bulls look to push their way back up the standings after a rough start to the season, injuries have continuously got in the way. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic just returned from their respective injuries against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, but that’s not where Chicago’s poor injury luck ends.

Torrey Craig is set to miss a significant amount of time, and both Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams are dealing with ailments as well. Luckily for the Bulls, Caruso could be nearing his return from injury sooner rather than later, which is great news for the Bulls. Williams, however, may not be.

According to Bulls head coach Billy Donovan (via KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago), Caruso took part in non-contact practice on Sunday, but Williams did not.

Caruso has been having an amazing season for the Bulls and could be one of their top trade chips at the deadline this season. He’s averaging 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 51.0% from the field and 42.6% from behind the three-point line.

As for Williams, he’s been impressive after a slow start. He’s averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 45.3% from the floor and 41.0% from beyond the three-point arc.

Getting Caruso back sooner rather than later would not only help the Bulls’ chances of winning but also help him increase his trade stock ahead of the deadline.

Williams, on the other hand, could use the developmental minutes on a Chicago team that could look very different and much younger in about a month.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Bulls’ Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic look good in their return from injury

While neither was playing a significantly reduced role compared to before their injuries, it is promising that they integrated back into the flow of things so well.

The Chicago Bulls notched another win in the return of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, with both shining in a bench role as they beat up on the hapless Charlotte Hornets 104-91. Vucevic and LaVine each played significant minutes in their respective returns from injury as the Bulls continue to inch towards righting their rough start to the NBA’s 2023-34 season.

The Bulls big man put up 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in 25 minutes of floor time, going 5-of-12 from the floor overall, his jumper looking rusty from deep with just 1-of-5 efficiency. LaVine contributed a modest 15 points, 5 boards, and 4 assists in 30 minutes of game time, shooting 6-of-11 and showing the same rust as his taller teammate with 1-of-5 results from beyond the arc as well. While neither was playing a significantly reduced role compared to before their injuries, it is promising that they integrated back into the flow of things so well.

Haize and Pat The Designer, the hosts of the “Locked On Bulls” podcast, dug into the positive returns of LaVine and Vucevic on a recent episode.

Check it out above!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Nikola Vucevic speaks out on injury return in Bulls win over Hornets

After the Chicago Bulls’ 104-91 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, Nikola Vucevic spoke about his return from injury.

The Chicago Bulls snapped a two-game skid on Friday night, picking up a 104-91 win over the bottom-feeding Charlotte Hornets. Coby White was the star of the show, and 21-year-old Dalen Terry earned the first start of his NBA career, but the highlight of the game was the returns of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic after extended injury absences.

Both players came off the bench, and after the game, LaVine spoke about his return. He had been out since November 28. As for Vucevic, he missed five games in a row dating back to December 26 before coming back to action on Friday night.

He also spoke about his return from injury after the contest, discussing how he felt and what it was like to get back out on the court.

“I think it was just the first game kind of figuring out my minutes and stuff, but since everything went fine I think going forward it shouldn’t be an issue,” Vucevic said via ESPN.

Vucevic played 24:55 off the bench for the Bulls, giving them solid minutes in the win. He ended the night with 11 points, seven rebounds, and three assists while shooting 5-of-12 from the floor and 1-of-5 from behind the three-point line.

He played well, but he could also be a potential trade chip this season.

The Bulls signed the veteran big man to a three-year contract extension this summer, but despite their recent success, they still seem to be headed toward another rebuild at the deadline this year. Or, at the very least, a rebuild next offseason.

Considering he just re-signed, it seems relatively unlikely that the Bulls move him at the deadline this year, but he’ll certainly be a name to watch.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Zach LaVine discusses return from injury in Bulls win over Hornets

After the Chicago Bulls’ win over the Charlotte Hornets, Zach LaVine spoke about his return from injury.

The Chicago Bulls continued their upswing on Friday night, winning their sixth game in their last 10. They earned a 104-91 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Coby White led the way with a monster night, pouring in 22 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists while shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and 3-of-6 from deep, but Zach LaVine was the story of the evening.

LaVine made his return to action after missing 17 straight games from November 28 up until Friday. He came off the bench for the Bulls but ended up playing 29:55. The Bulls star played a big part in the win, giving them some solid production off the bench.

After the game, he spoke about how he felt in his long-awaited return from injury.

“Physically, all good, you just have to catch your wind … but I felt good. I’m going to get my wind over the next couple of games,” LaVine said via ESPN. “I think I did good. Missed a couple of open shots that I thought I should make, but other than that, I tried to go out there and play as hard as I could.”

LaVine finished the game with 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists while shooting 6-of-11 from the floor and 1-of-5 from beyond the three-point line.

Getting LaVine back into the fold should provide the Bulls with a nice boost, but perhaps more interestingly, it will give him a chance to rebuild his trade value.

As the trade deadline inches closer and closer, LaVine could still be one of the premier names on the block.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

DeMar DeRozan discusses how much Bulls miss injured players

Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan recently discussed how much they miss their injured players.

The Chicago Bulls have pulled their way back into the Play-In Tournament, which is impressive, considering they started the year 5-14. Perhaps more impressive, however, is the fact that they’ve performed so well with so many of their core players sidelined with various injuries.

Zach LaVine hasn’t played in a game since November 28, Nikola Vucevic has missed a string of games, and Torrey Craig has missed some time as well. With them absent, DeMar DeRozan and Coby White have had to carry a heavy load, which is no easy feat. Luckily for Chicago, they’ve been doing a great job and have kept the Bulls in the win column.

After the Bulls’ 116-110 loss to the New York Knicks, DeRozan spoke about how much they miss the players who have been out. (H/t Sam Smith of NBA.com)

“Not to make an excuse, but we miss a lot of critical guys at a critical time,” DeRozan said. “We’ve all been doing our part, hold down the fort as best as we can. But it’s come to the point where we’re missing other guys that can contribute, more bodies that we can throw out there. We need the rest of the troops, that type of feeling. We’ve been competing our butts off, but those stints like tonight. That’s when you wish you had a guy out there like Vooch [Vucevic], TC [Craig], Zach [LaVine] to kind of shift the game a little bit for us.”

The Bulls have been playing well, but they could use some reinforcements sooner rather than later.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]