Bulls shooting guard Denzel Valentine appears unlikely to play at all during the 2018/19 season, with the team announcing today (via Twitter) that the 25-year-old has been diagnosed with “ongoing ankle instability.” Valentine will undergo a surgical reconstruction of his troublesome left ankle, according to the team.
The Bulls’ announcement notes that Valentine is expected to make a full recovery, with a timetable of about four to six months. If he’s able to get healthy in four months, the third-year guard could get back on the court this season, but that seems like a long shot.
A five- or six-month timeline would extend beyond Chicago’s regular season finale. The team, which is unlikely to be in the playoff mix down the stretch, will likely play it safe with Valentine and hold him out until the 2019/20 season.
If the Bulls rule out Valentine for the season following his surgery, the could apply for a disabled player exception. However, even if it’s approved, it would only be worth half of his $2.28MM salary, which would significantly limit its usefulness.
Valentine, the 14th overall pick in the 2016 draft, had a promising season in 2017/18, averaging 10.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 3.2 APG with a .417/.386/.745 shooting line in 77 contests (27.2 MPG). However, he has been plagued by left ankle issues this fall, with a report earlier this month indicating that it wasn’t responding well to treatment.
Valentine is one of several young Bulls who has been slowed by health problems in 2018/19 so far, joining Bobby Portis, Lauri Markkanen, and Kris Dunn on the sidelines. Based on the most recent updates on each of them, Portis, Markkanen, and Dunn should still be on track to return before the end of the 2018 calendar year.
High caliber FAs won’t come to the Bulls. Tanking for a lottery pick is the smart move.
Sad but true.