An MRI revealed that starting Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. suffered a “severe” right quad contusion, the Bulls have announced in a tweet. Carter is set to miss at least four weeks of game action before Chicago reassesses him, the team continues.
Carter was having a stellar season. Across 14 games in 2020/21, the defensive-oriented center was averaging 12.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.6 BPG and 0.6 SPG in just 26.9 MPG.. He will now have missed major time in all three of his pro seasons. Injuries limited the 6’10” big man from Duke to just 44 of 82 games as a rookie in 2018/19 and 43 of 65 possible games last season.
Second-year center Daniel Gafford has started in Carter’s stead for the past three games. As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes (via Twitter), forwards Lauri Markkanen and Thaddeus Young have moonlit at center occasionally as well.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan would not commit to the identity of Carter’s long-term replacement at center, but Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times speculates (via Twitter) that Markkanen could slide up a position during Carter’s absence.
Donovan added that until Carter fully recuperates, he will be fairly limited in his conditioning, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN (Twitter link).
Good thing Markannen is healthy & Gafford is developing & serviceable. Carter was starting to string his performances together, and looking good. Hope he’s back for the Bulls soon.
He can not stay healthy. 3 seasons is proof.. Development is nothing if you aren’t on the court.
Trash player. He cannot stay healthy to be effective. He’s too small and lacks the defensive IQ and gets bodied against bigger guys. He needs to be dealt. I would trade him the first chance I can get after he stays healthy for atleast 10 games. Maybe Sacramento sends Bagley for WCJ and a lottery protected 2023 1st round pick? I’m just done with this guy.
He’s 21 years old…. Take it easy
3 years of injury history and hasn’t gotten any better. This is how you stay below average as a franchise for 20 years. He wasn’t an AK pick so I’m sure his leash his shorter than a guy like Williams.
He’s averaging 12.8 and 8 and only 26 min a game he could be at 35 minutes a game those are good numbers, and like I said he’s 21… Far from trash. Health is his biggest hurdle.
Bagley and Markkanen don’t seem like they’d fit. Better to see what WCJ can develop into
Problem with that is we need a 4 then. Maybe if Markannen and Holmes were in the trade too. Holmes is UFA though…
If, he could stay healthy I don’t think he is “trash.” He could be a fit on good teams. He just isn’t a difference maker. And HE CANT STAY HEALTHY.
I’m sure this will just be something for the Carter Jr. trolls to eat up..
This really sucks, when he was healthy previously, the kid was misused horribly by Boylen. Now, he finally has some solid coaching, he begins to show some real promise, and he gets hurt..
Misused how?— he’s always been a center.
Right. He is too slow to play the 4. He’s an undersized center. The only misuse you could say is Boylen didn’t want him to shoot the ball. He hasn’t proved that he is good at shooting it yet.
Sucks for Bulls. This is a cursed NBA season. Has to be no preseason no summer league. Get healthy, l like Carter.
thaddeous young’s trade value is gradually increasing lol didnt expect him to be racking up dimes and boards as much as points. if u start him he will prob be averaging 15/10/10 every game. if i were the raptors i will trade baynes and davis for thaddeus young if we’re gunna play small ball with siakam playing the 5.
I actually want a 2nd round for him. I’m okay with that offer, maybe 2 2nd rounds if we’relucky.