Bulls Rookie Caleb Wilson Set for Significant Absence Amid 1-9 Start

Things somehow just got worse for the sliding Chicago Bulls, who got word less than 24 hours after their eighth straight loss that rookie phenom Caleb Wilson needs surgery to repair a fractured right hand.

As first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, the injury is expected to sideline him for at least 4-6 weeks. K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reports that Wilson will have the surgery today and will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Wilson exited Wednesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs just minutes into the second half and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. Before that, he notched 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, five rebounds and a steal in just 15 minutes. Wilson's departure was a big reason for Chicago's collapse, as the Bulls took a 14-point lead into the half and led by as many as 22 before allowing the game to slip away and losing 124-119.

Wilson has had some ups and downs to start his career but has largely been fantastic and one of the clear bright spots of a squad that is struggling to pick up wins. The fourth overall pick is averaging 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 42% from the field and 32.4% from three-point range.

Ahead of Wednesday's game against the Spurs, the Bulls' first-year head coach Tiago Splitter had discussed the uptick in injuries around the league, stressing the importance of getting guys rest when they can, noting that NBA players will often push their limits to their own detriment. Wilson came into the game listed as 'questionable' on the injury report due to hip soreness. Now, they have a much bigger issue to deal with for the rookie.

Elsewhere, the Bulls have been trying to ease big man Nic Claxton back into action following a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the first handful of games this year. But now without Wilson as a scoring threat or cleaning the glass, Claxton's presence down low will be much more important.

It is also imperative that Matas Buzelis cleans things up offensively in Wilson's stead. The third-year forward has struggled to find a rhythm thus far and trails only Josh Giddey in turnovers per game (2.8) while providing significantly less playmaking production than the guard.

Splitter will have to pull on some other strings with Wilson missing time, but the loss feels more significant for the young rookie's early career development rather than the short-term success of the team. Expect more updates in the coming days on the Bulls' leader in points and field goals attempted.