Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. was disappointed but not surprised when he learned about the severity of his latest injury, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports. Carter will be sidelined for at least four weeks after suffering a quad contusion in a collision with Denzel Valentine during practice. Doctors said Valentine struck him in a “perfect” spot to cause damage.
“I was on the ground, I thought I did something more than what was told to me,” Carter said. “After the initial pain that I had, I knew it was going to be longer. I knew it was just a contusion, but I knew it was a lot more severe than I was used to. It (the diagnosis) didn’t catch me by surprise at all.”
This marks the third straight season that Carter will be out of action for at least a month, Schaefer notes. He missed 35 games with a damaged thumb ligament as a rookie, then 22 games last year because of a sprained ankle. Carter said during training camp that staying healthy was one of his goals for the season.
“I hate the label of being injury prone or always injured and things like that,” he said. “But at the same time as I look inside the business, the people who are a part of this business, they understand that all these injuries weren’t because I wasn’t prepared or weren’t because I wasn’t doing the necessary things to make sure my body could withstand the 72-game season.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- Thaddeus Young’s early-season performance should make him a popular name on the trade market, suggests K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Young was already considered a trade prospect because only $6MM of his $14.2MM contract for next season is guaranteed, and he has boosted his value by averaging 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds though the first 13 games, with a near triple-double Monday night.
- Although point guard Coby White has been inconsistent lately, the Bulls aren’t ready to make a change, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. That includes moving Tomas Satoransky into the starting lineup or trading for Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, Cowley adds. “You have to look at the give and take of doing something like that may be,” coach Billy Donovan replied when asked about the possibly of using White as a reserve. “Does it disrupt that group? Is it not good for Coby?’’
- Rookie two-way guard Devon Dotson has been transferred to the Canton Charge and will join the team in the G League bubble, the Bulls tweeted. He has gotten into just one game this season.
Sucks for Carter Jr. NOONE wants to be playing more than him. I hate it for the young man..
He’s just got to shake it off, and continue gr8nding..He will be good..
He is terrible, he will never be a starter on a good team, and what’s greatnding?
Grinding
Trade Rumor
White for Ball
Ball wants insane amount of money in summer
Bulls are seeking for compensation for that insane amount
White has 3 more years rookie contract
Lonzo Ball leads the nba in career
Worst free throw percentage at 43%
Actually his career FT% is 49.3% which is only slightly worse than Chamberlain’s 51.1% for his career (and Capela’s 52.7%). DeAndre Jordan’s is even worse at 47.5% but Ben Wallace was the worst ever at 41.4%, so Ball is far from leading the NBA in career worst FT%.
I’ll cry if we trade for that bum. Lonzo has been starting for 4 seasons and hasnt improved a bit, looking at his stats I dont see what scouts saw that made him #2 overall
Lonzo does the hard things— vision, passing, help D, strength for a PG. For whatever reason, he cannot do the easy things, layups or free throws. That combo will always be a surprise. Usually one assumes the easy when one sees the hard done.
Is it a rumor or did you just think of it?
Just stop with the made up nonsense. No one in their right mind would trade White for Ball.
I would not give up Coby for Ball. Seems Ball is unhappy about something, I assume it’s the contract. That’s not a good sign. Cause fact is he’s regressed. So it’s really his own doing. But a good Ball with right attitude. Is the kind of PG that can help Bulls. I wouldn’t give up a 1st rd pick either.
I wouldn’t trade Coby, or Derrick White for Lonzo Ball.
Needs a few more ice cream seasons somewhere that believes in him, and he believes in them. Also can afford to spend possibly more years developing him.
Nobody would trade Coby White for Lonzo except Sullivan.
“Rookie two-way guard Devon Dotson has been transferred to the Canton Charge and will join the team in the G League bubble, the Bulls tweeted. He has gotten into just one game this season.” In Canton Devon is changing his last name to “Nissan”.