Bulls Injury Updates: Josh Giddey Back On Court, Zach Collins With Significant Sprain

The Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan provided the latest injury updates before Saturday's game against the Dallas Mavericks, offering encouraging news on Josh Giddey while revealing Zach Collins faces a longer recovery procedure.

Per The Athletic's Joel Lorenzi, Donovan said Collins' toe injury is a "pretty significant sprain," and the team has been seeking multiple medical opinions. While a procedure is currently not on the table, Collins will remain in a boot for the foreseeable future, with no clear timetable for return.

Giddey has resumed on-court training as the medical staff monitors when it makes sense for him to ramp up activity. Donovan said there haven't been any setbacks but declined to provide a specific timeline. Additionally, Donovan mentioned rookie Noa Essengue — who's recovering from left shoulder surgery—was initially uncomfortable with the sling but is now working in the weight room.

The update on Giddey provided positive news for the Bulls. Their main playmaker has averaged 19.2 points, 9.0 assists, and 8.9 rebounds this season—career-best numbers that have him contending for his first All-Star appearance. Giddey suffered a left hamstring strain and limped off during the Minnesota game in late December, later revealing it was the first soft-tissue injury of his career.

Collins also left the court with a toe injury during the Bucks game before the Timberwolves matchup. He had also missed the start of the season with a broken left wrist, returning for 10 games and averaging 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds before the latest setback.

The Bulls' injury difficulty intensified earlier this week when Kevin Huerter (right low back tightness) and Jalen Smith (concussion) were sidelined for Thursday's game against the Miami Heat. However, Chicago was able to escape the scenario with an even-depleted rotation when the game was postponed due to condensation on the court. 

On Saturday, they resumed play against the Mavericks and contributed to the 125-107 win for the Bulls, with Huerter breaking his two-game three-point shooting drought by nailing two triples and scoring 13 points, while Smith contributed seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

Losing Collins affects the Bulls' tactical scheme, given his ability to impact both ends in the paint and stretch the floor with three-point shooting (42.9%). Chicago temporarily can't deploy the two-big lineups that brought instant benefits earlier this season. With Collins' procedure remaining uncertain and no timeline for return, the Bulls must find ways to cover their size weakness beyond relying on Nikola Vucevic and Smith. Playing two-way center Lachlan Olbrich from the G League could become an option if they need additional frontcourt depth.