The Chicago Bulls were dealt another tough injury blow on Monday, when it was announced that Coby White would need more time to ramp up from his right calf strain.
The Chicago Bulls were already dealing with injury concerns, with backup center Zach Collins out for at least four weeks with a wrist injury. That injury was considered a significant blow, but any frontcourt issues could mitigated to some extent with extra minutes for Nikola Vucevic, Jalen Smith, and Billy Donovan using even more small-ball/four-guard lineups. If Collins' injury is considered a significant blow, then today's Coby White news can be considered a (metaphorical) knockout punch as the Bulls announced that White's right calf strain will be reevaluated in two weeks, which means that the Bulls will be without the high-scoring guard for the start of the regular season.
White, along with Josh Giddey, served as the primary offensive engines for Chicago post-Zach LaVine trade. White averaged a career-high 20.4 points, 4.1 free throw attempts, and 7.9 3-pt FGAs per game as he finally started to turn into the the legitimate three-level scorer that Bulls fans had been waiting for post-LaVine. Post All-Star break, White's production was an All-Star-like 24.5 PPG and 5.7 FTAs per game. White was still pulling up from everywhere along the 3-point line, but was finally starting to get respect from referees when he received contact on his forays to the rim. Simply put, White was unquestionably the Bulls primary scoring option as a SG.
With White out of the Bulls lineup to start the year, it is likely you see Donovan rely harder on Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter.
Dosunmu provides the ability to get downhill and into the paint to create shots for himself and others similar to White, while being a considerably worse shooter but bringing more to the table defensively. Huerter is the only other high-volume 3-pt shooter on the team--Huerter attempted 7.2 3-pt FGs per game, third behind White and LaVine on the 24-25 Bulls--and Donovan will simply need Huerter on the floor to add some trusted floor spacing and balance to what will be a lineup surely lacking in offensive firepower.
Donovan is a creative coach when it comes to undersized and shorthanded rotations, and this latest update on White will test his abilities greatly as Chicago has a tough 15-game stretch to open the season. More updates should be available on White in at least two weeks.