Key Bulls players Giddey, White, and Collins are sidelined with new injuries, impacting crucial matchups and testing Chicago's bench depth.
The Chicago Bulls announced injury updates on Wednesday for three key players, providing clearer timetables for their absences during a critical stretch of the season.
Guard Josh Giddey has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Guard Coby White has right calf tightness and will be re-evaluated in one week. Forward/center Zach Collins has been diagnosed with a right toe sprain and will be re-evaluated in 10 days.
The updates followed Giddey's injury being upgraded from less-serious left hamstring tightness to a more severe strain on Tuesday, confirmed by Bulls PR and reported by ESPN's Shams Charania.
Giddey has averaged 19.2 points, 9.0 assists and 8.9 rebounds this season. White has averaged 20.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists since returning from a right calf strain in mid-November. The Bulls are essentially even with Giddey and White on the court but -8.1 with both off, per NBA Advanced Stats. They're +1.8 with Collins — who's averaged 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds over his last five games — but -4.7 without him.
These major absences will significantly test Chicago's roster depth. Beyond losing straightforward scoring and facilitating strength, the Bulls also lose flexibility with the two-big lineup Billy Donovan has deployed recently. With 17 games ahead in January, Chicago will rely heavily on their bench, which ranks second in the league in scoring (44.8 PPG). A starting lineup featuring Tre Jones and Ayo Dosunmu is expected, while Nikola Vucevic, Isaac Okoro and Matas Buzelis will determine the Bulls' competitiveness before the trio returns.
The Bulls face the Pelicans on Wednesday with a depleted lineup to close out the year.