Ayo Dosunmu

Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu Returning From Calf Injury Wednesday

January 15th, 2025 at 5:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters today that guard Ayo Dosunmu will be back in action for the first time in weeks during Chicago’s Wednesday tilt against the Hawks, per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).

As Johnson relays, Dosunmu will be playing under a restriction, and will see no more than 24-to-26 minutes of game action.

The 6’5″ pro hasn’t played since December 23 due to a calf injury. Johnson had reported earlier this week that a Dosunmu comeback Wednesday was possible.

The 25-year-old Illinois alum is one of his hometown Bulls’ stronger two-way options at guard. Through 30 healthy contests this year, including 17 starts, Dosunmu is averaging 12.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game. He’s posting shooting splits of .490/.320/.796.

Wednesday’s Atlanta matchup is the second game in a back-to-back slate. On Tuesday, Chicago fell 119-113 to one of the league’s worst teams by record, the 9-32 Pelicans. That dropped the No. 10-seeded Bulls to a middling 18-22 mark on the season.

Veteran guard Lonzo Ball had a big night on Tuesday. He scored 11 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and dished out six dimes in 25 minutes off the bench for Chicago. Johnson notes that Ball, still working his way back from three knee surgeries, will miss the Hawks contest as Chicago continues to monitor him.

Central Notes: Craig, Dosunmu, Cavs, Giannis, Haliburton

January 13th, 2025 at 6:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Torrey Craig likely won’t play for the Bulls for the remainder of the month. He has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team tweets.

Craig has already missed the past six games due to what was listed as a leg contusion. The 34-year-old wing has only appeared in nine games this season after seeing action in 53 contests last season, his first with the Bulls. He will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

On a positive note, guard Ayo Dosunmu could return to action on Wednesday, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network tweets. Dosunmu, who went through scrimmages with some of the team’s reserves on Monday, has been sidelined by a calf injury since Dec. 23.

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The Cavaliers had their 12-game winning streak snapped by the Pacers on Sunday. Indiana outscored Cleveland 68-40 in the second half. “What disappointed me was our first half was phenomenal, defensively, and then the second half, we fell off,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said, per ESPN News Services. “So, we couldn’t sustain our defense. Just disappointed.”
The Bucks were hammered by the Knicks 140-106 on Sunday and that didn’t sit well with franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo. He’s tired of seeing his team taken apart by the Eastern Conference’s elite. Milwaukee is 0-8 against the top three teams in the East, ESPN’s Chris Herring said. “We’ve gotta get our stuff together. It’s as simple as that. We did not beat Boston. We did not beat the Cavs. We didn’t beat the Knicks,” Antetokounmpo said. “Those are the top three teams, and we’ve played horribly against them.”
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is listed as doubtful for the team’s rematch with the Cavs on Tuesday, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. He experienced left hamstring tightness in Sunday’s game and did not return for the second half.

Bulls Notes: Ball, Dosunmu, DeRozan, Karnisovas

January 12th, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In a narrow 124-119 loss to Sacramento on Sunday, Bulls guard Lonzo Ball made his first start since January 14, 2022. As Kyle Williams of The Chicago Sun-Times writes, a grateful Ball – who started all 35 of his outings in 2021/22 in his first year with the Bulls was happy for the opportunity to at least temporarily reclaim that role.

“[I’m] thankful for everybody that stuck with me, appreciative of the organization for riding with me the whole way and just seeing it all come full circle,” Ball said.

The UCLA alum underwent three surgeries to repair a meniscus issue in his knee and missed the two-and-a-half seasons. This season, Ball had previously only played under a minutes restriction off the bench.

Across 26 minutes of action on Sunday as a starter, Ball scored 15 points and handed out three assists. Starter Coby White was sidelined with a neck injury.

“Whatever you need from him, he’s always ready to play,’’ Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said of Ball.

There’s more out of the Windy City:

Bulls sixth man guard Ayo Dosunmu, who if healthy would have started over Ball, has been sidelined since December 23 with a calf injury. According to Williams, Dosunmu continues to rehab the ailment and inch closer towards an on-court return. ‘‘We’ve gotten a really good response from the ramp-up,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘There’s a few more days they want to continue on that, just to see how he responds. With some of the hurdles we’ve wanted him to cross, he’s responded pretty well.’’
Kings swingman DeMar DeRozan reflected on the end of his three-year Bulls run during his first game back in Chicago on Sunday, writes Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. The six-time All-Star unpacked how things ended between him and the Bulls last summer, when he ultimately agreed to join Sacramento on a three-year, $73.9MM deal via sign-and-trade. “Sometimes the way the business of basketball works, a lot of stuff becomes out of both sides’ control,” DeRozan said. “But with that, just got to appreciate the time that was spent there. I gave it my all, all three years.” With the victory Sunday, DeRozan’s Kings won their seventh straight game. Sacramento is now 7-1 under interim head coach Doug Christie.
The next few weeks ahead of the February 6 NBA trade deadline could ultimately either make or break Bulls team president Arturas Karnisovas’ stint leading the front office, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. At 18-21, Chicago occupies the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, two games ahead of Philadelphia for the last play-in tournament spot. The team boasts several veteran players on tradable contracts and has a limited ceiling with its current roster. Poe notes that Karnisovas remaining relatively inactive at a critical transaction point once again would represent a potentially disastrous approach for Chicago. The Bulls haven’t made the playoffs in two years and appear unlikely to break through this season. That said, they will not have their own draft pick this summer if it falls outside the top 10, so it may behoove them to get worse in a hurry. Poe writes that the team hasn’t had significant talks about offloading former two-time All-Stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, and is reportedly open to trading anyone on its roster. White and Dosunmu, two solid young players on reasonable deals, have surprisingly not received much trade interest yet, per Poe.

Central Notes: Cunningham, Pistons, Haliburton, Williams, Dosunmu

January 11th, 2025 at 8:40am CST by Tristan Tucker

Pistons star Cade Cunningham is guiding the team to winning ways after a slow start to the season and a franchise-worst year in 2023/24. As Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports writes, Cunningham is embracing the challenge that comes with being the Pistons’ franchise centerpiece and has shown a willingness to take the blame when things aren’t going right for the team.

“You don’t get that out of many old guys, right? Like, there’s not many people in this league that are willing to accept responsibility for the total right for the whole group,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “You know, you deal with a lot of people now, the easiest thing to do is either shy away from it or put it on somebody else. And I think that speaks to his courage.”

In 34 games, Cunningham is averaging 24.3 points, 9.3 assists and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 45.7% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc, all of which are career bests. The Pistons are 19-19, having already won five more games than they did all of last season.

“[It’s] something that comes with being, you know, ‘the guy,’” Cunningham said. “Everybody calls me ‘the guy.’ It’s a lot of responsibility. It’s a lot of … I mean, people would call it pressure, but, you know, I have to deliver, and I haven’t done that to the level that I wanted to.”

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The Pistons‘ recent turnaround is helping remove some of the ‘dark clouds’ surrounding the franchise, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. “It’s huge, man,” Jalen Duren said. “It’s huge. The vets that came in, I’m not gonna say they don’t understand it, but they weren’t here. Guys who’ve been here … the guys who have been through the ups and downs of our short career, and now getting here and being .500 is huge.“
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton started to let some of the outside noise regarding his play affect him, leading to early-season struggles for both the fifth-year point guard and the team, Jared Weiss and Sam Amick of The Athletic write. “It was the first time in my life that I had real self-doubt behind everything I was doing,” Haliburton said. “… I feel like my personal struggles were leading to the team’s struggles.” Returning from an injury too soon last season and re-aggravating it impacted his play. The Pacers’ floor general is starting to turn it around, averaging 20.4 points and 9.9 assists per game and shooting 41.3% from three as the team has won 11 of its past 14 games.
The Bulls are “still searching for answers” as to how to best utilize forward Patrick Williams, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Williams, the fourth overall pick in 2020, is averaging 9.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest this season, in line with his career figures.
Chicago is optimistic that guard Ayo Dosunmu will be able to return from his Achilles injury at some point during the Bulls‘ five-game home stand, although it’s unlikely he’ll play on Sunday, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Dosunmu, who is averaging 12.6 PPG and 4.8 APG, has missed the last eight games with the injury.

Central Notes: Mitchell, Okoro, J. Smith, Dosunmu

January 8th, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

Donovan Mitchell already made up his mind to re-sign with the Cavaliers before last season ended, but he wanted to find a way to turn the team into a title contender, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The solution he came up with was to sacrifice some of his role in the offense so that other players — particularly Evan Mobley — could get more involved.

That strategy has worked perfectly for the Cavs, who have the league’s best record at 31-4 and are in the midst of a 10-game winning streak. They’re hosting the West-leading Thunder tonight in the most anticipated game of the season.

“When I signed back here my first intention was we need to get the most out of Ev,” Mitchell said. “Never played with a guy like Ev. So, how do we get the most out of that partnership? Saw it in that Boston (playoff) series. He has the talent. It was more about him believing it on a nightly basis. I want him to think, ‘I’m that dude.’ Now you surround him with a guy like myself and it makes it tough on any defense. Just being on the floor with him allows him to kind of play a certain way. It’s allowed myself to grow too.”

A five-time All-Star, Mitchell has revitalized basketball in Cleveland since being acquired in a trade two-plus seasons ago. He could have made almost any demand to sign the extension, so it was somewhat surprising that he wanted to share the ball more. He and new coach Kenny Atkinson started devising the revamped offense and increased usage for Mobley when they met for lunch in June.

“That was my growth,” Mitchell said. “When people ask, ‘What is the next level? What do you work on?’ This is what it takes. You don’t know what is going to come of that. It’s when you really have to sit down and ask yourself, ‘What do you want? Do you really want to win? How badly do you want to win?’ When I say these things, I’m still going to be myself but understanding when to pick the spots and being smart about it. It’s not easy. But it’s what’s needed. Everyone knows me as a scorer, but with this group it doesn’t have to be 30 every night. My job as a leader is to figure out where I impact the game that night. How do I make winning plays? It’s about being able to embrace that, understand that and be OK with that — and I am.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Isaac Okoro is active for tonight’s contest against Oklahoma City, Fedor states in a separate story. Okoro was cleared to return after missing the last eight games with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. He’s expected to come off the bench in a limited role, with Dean Wade staying in the starting lineup, according to Fedor. Shooting specialist Sam Merrill will miss his third consecutive game with a sprained right ankle, Fedor adds, as the Cavaliers still haven’t fielded a fully healthy team in any game this season.
Before hosting the Bulls tonight, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle talked about the offseason loss of Jalen Smith in free agency, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. He said the organization was hoping to keep Smith, but couldn’t compete with the offer he got from Chicago. “We wanted him back but we were limited as to how much we could pay him,” Carlisle said. “… He had a very good year and he had a great second year for us that set him up for the Bulls. This was an opportunity he had to take because of the financial aspect.”
Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu has made significant improvement with his strained lower right calf, per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Coach Billy Donovan said Dosunmu has started running on a treadmill and is “getting closer and closer to playing.”

Bulls Notes: White, Donsunmu, LaVine, Ball

December 31st, 2024 at 7:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu are among the Bulls players who could be moved by the trade deadline, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. While most trade rumors involving the team tend to focus on Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, Cowley notes that Chicago will be spending a lot of money on its backcourt next season if the current roster stays together.

White is currently making $12MM and is owed $12.9MM next year, which is a team-friendly contract for a player who just finished second in the Most Improved Player voting. There may be a market for him as well as Dosunmu, who is earning $7MM this season and $7.5MM in 2025/26. Cowley notes that if LaVine stays and Josh Giddey gets re-signed, the Bulls could be spending more than $70MM on their starting backcourt.

‘‘I don’t tend to worry about it because it’s completely out of everyone’s hands besides the front office,’’ White said. ‘‘Since I’ve been in the league, teams have totally changed. Me and Zach are the only ones still on the team [from my rookie year], so I’ve seen what it’s like to have your whole team shipped out. I’ve seen what it’s like to have a different head coach from when I started, a different front office. So it’s just business, and I had to learn that. And it’s one of those lessons you better learn quickly.’’

There’s more from Chicago:

LaVine took off his left sock to show reporters the toe injury that forced him to miss Monday’s game at Charlotte and quell any speculation that he might be sitting out due to an impending trade, Cowley states in a separate story. LaVine vowed to be ready for Wednesday’s contest at Washington, but the team will see how he feels during shootaround before making a decision.
White believes the up-tempo style that coach Billy Donovan adopted this year will be a selling point for free agents this summer, Cowley adds. “I think it’s attractive because it’s kind of moving to the modern-day NBA,” White said. “The pace we play at, the amount of threes we shoot, the amount of freedom everybody has, I think any basketball player would want to play in this system. Who doesn’t want to play fast, get up and down, get open shots, be able to attack in transition and then have the freedom to make plays offensively where everybody gets the ball and has opportunities? I think it has really been working for us.”
Ball is still restricted to a maximum of 20 minutes per game and isn’t permitted to play on back-to-back nights, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. A sprained wrist he suffered early in the season, along with an illness, have kept the minutes restriction in place longer than expected, but Donovan indicated that Ball’s role may increase in January. “I can do a lot in 20 minutes,” Ball said. “Obviously I want to play more, but we’ve got to be smart. It’s gonna be a slow process. I knew that. I just want to play.” The doctor he consulted suggested surgery on the wrist, but Ball wasn’t willing to consider that option after missing more than two full years due to repeated knee issues.

Bulls Notes: Giddey, Dosunmu, Trade Talks, Buzelis

December 29th, 2024 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Josh Giddey returned to the lineup with a triple-double Saturday night as the Bulls got a much-needed win over Milwaukee, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. He missed the previous four games with a sprained right ankle that was originally feared to be much worse than it turned out to be. Giddey sparked the team with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, but he preferred to talk about his improved defense.

“Taking more pride on that side of the ball is something I wanted to buy into probably 10, 12 games ago,” he said. “I met with (coach Billy Donovan), and we spoke about it in order to close games and be an impact. Even when offense isn’t going great, you’ve got to be locked in on that side of the ball. So, I really tried to hone in that side. It’s not going to be perfect. It won’t be for anybody, but I just made an emphasis to really be locked in on that side of the ball.”

Giddey realized he needed to upgrade his defense after a November 15 game in which the Cavaliers repeatedly targeted him on that end of the court, Mayberry adds. He responded to the experience with extra film study and a commitment to bring more effort to his defensive responsibilities.

“There’s only so much film you can watch,” he said. “It’s your will and your want to do it. I flipped that switch, and I want to do it now. It’s something I’ve wanted to take pride in and put myself in those positions where I have to sit down and guard the ball. I’ve really tried to lock in on that side of the ball and make an emphasis of standing my ground and not being the weak link on that side of the ball. You get to a point in your NBA career where you are who you are, and I didn’t want to be that way on the defensive side.”

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Ayo Dosunmu will be reevaluated in 10 days after straining his lower right calf in a December 23 game, the Bulls announced (via Twitter). He sat out Thursday’s contest with a sore Achilles, and medical imaging on Friday revealed the cause of the pain, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Let it calm down,” Donovan said. “No tears or anything like that, but certainly a strain showed up. With the way he plays, it’s probably in an area that will continue to cause problems unless he rests it. You’re always going to be susceptible to causing more problems. It was something that was caught earlier, which is a positive.” Cowley notes that Dosunmu was coming off his best stretch of the season, averaging 14.2 points and 6.4 assists in his last nine games.
The Bulls appear to be quiet in trade talks, as Donovan indicated that team vice president Arturas Karnisovas hasn’t contacted him about any serious proposals, Cowley adds in a separate story. “I think he’s always been respectful that we’ve got games coming, and we’re talking about the team, the roster, where we’re at now, how we get better, how we improve, those type of things,” Donovan said. “But there hasn’t been anything of substance of ‘Hey, this is where things are at.'”
Matas Buzelis may already be the Bulls’ best shot blocker, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. The rookie forward had two more blocks Saturday night and leads the team in that category even though he’s only ninth in minutes played.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Vucevic, Ball, Giddey, Dosunmu, Carter

December 27th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Although there have been “whispers” about the Lakers as a possible landing spot for Bulls guard Zach LaVine for the better part of a year, the pieces that would need to be included in a deal between the two teams wouldn’t fit for Chicago, a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, making Los Angeles an unlikely landing spot for LaVine.

Cowley, who previously confirmed that there was some “light momentum” in LaVine talks between the Bulls and Nuggets, says no additional progress has been made. The two teams have sent each other feelers about what a trade might look like, but discussions haven’t gone beyond that.

Cowley also takes a look at where things stand with Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, noting that the Bulls would ideally like to get draft assets and expiring salaries in exchange for both players.

While one report stated that Chicago is seeking a first-round pick in return for Vucevic, a source who spoke to Cowley suggests that’s not necessarily the case and that a package of multiple second-rounders is a more realistic return. Second-round draft compensation and matching expiring money would likely also be a best scenario in a Ball deal, Cowley adds.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Point guard Josh Giddey, who has missed four straight games due to a sprained right ankle, is listed as questionable to play on Saturday vs. Milwaukee, as are Ball (illness) and Matas Buzelis (illness). According to Cowley, head coach Billy Donovan seems confident that Ball will be available and said Giddey might be too. “I wouldn’t say it’s a long shot, but a lot is going to depend on how he responds off (Thursday’s) workout and then probably get another one in (Friday),” Donovan said of Giddey’s potential return. “That will probably be a pretty good tell on if he’ll be available on Saturday.”
While Giddey and Ball may be back on Saturday, it sounds like another injured Bulls guard, Ayo Dosunmu, will miss a little more time. He’s listed as doubtful to play in the Milwaukee game due to a right soleus (calf) strain. “It’s kind of lingered a little bit, gotten sorer and sorer,” Donovan said, per Cowley. “Some of it may be his minutes, I don’t know, but enough that they want to evaluate it and look at it. He is uncomfortable with it right now in terms of planting, pushing off, springing, jumping, that kind of stuff is bothering him.”
With the Bulls’ backcourt banged up, veteran guard Jevon Carter played 36 minutes and scored 26 points in Thursday’s loss to Atlanta. It was just the second time this season he’s played double-digit minutes and it was his highest-scoring game since he joined the Bulls as a free agent in 2023. In a separate story for The Chicago-Sun Times, Cowley writes that Carter has maintained a positive attitude despite his limited role as a Bull. “I’m happy for him personally, just because all of the time he puts in,” Donovan said. “The opportunities have been limited, but the ability and the maturity competitively just to keep himself ready at all times is really impressive to me. To see him rewarded for the work he puts in was great.”

Bulls Notes: Potential Trades, Giddey, Ball, Backcourt

November 30th, 2024 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

After Jake Fischer reported on Friday that the Bulls are open to discussing the “majority of their roster” in trade talks this season, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Insider link) confirms that rival teams are viewing Chicago as a probable in-season seller. Those rivals believe the Bulls will likely want to take steps to ensure they finish among the NBA’s bottom 10 teams and hang onto their top-10 protected first-round pick.

Still, there’s some skepticism about just how much value Chicago will be able to extract in return for the players believed to be trade candidates, such as Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.

“It makes sense for them to trade a veteran, especially if it opens more playing time for rookie (Matas Buzelis)” an executive told ESPN. “But who are they trading that would make a difference? They’ve been trying to move LaVine for more than a year but there’s been no good market. They want to keep (Coby) White, and Vucevic is on the books for $21 million next year.”

Here’s more out of Chicago:

Rival teams are also monitoring the Bulls’ usage of Josh Giddey, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link), who says opposing scouts and executives have “noted” Giddey’s recent dip in playing time. Giddey, who will be a restricted free agent in 2025, has started all 21 games for the Bulls so far this season, but has played more than 26 minutes just twice in his past nine games, and his on/off-court numbers haven’t been great, as Bontemps notes. Even after Giddey was a +14 in 24 minutes on Friday, the Bulls have a -7.3 net rating in his 565 minutes this season, compared to a -2.9 mark in the 443 minutes he hasn’t played.
As Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune observes, Giddey was replaced by Lonzo Ball in the Bulls’ closing lineup on Friday vs. Boston for defensive reasons. Giddey didn’t play the final 8:43 of the loss, while Ball surpassed his anticipated 16-minute limit midway through the fourth quarter and logged a season-high 21:40. Head coach Billy Donovan consulted with both Ball and the Bulls’ medical team before making that decision, Poe writes.
Donovan raved after the game about Ball’s ability to impact a game even when his shot isn’t falling, as Kyle Williams of The Chicago Sun-Times relays. “The steals, the disruption, the hands, knocking down his first couple threes,” Donovan said. “Even if he missed those two shots, he still had a huge impact on the game.” The Bulls’ head coach added that reintegrating Ball into a crowded backcourt rotation hasn’t been an issue, since his players – including Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu – have been positive about the adjustments to their roles. “The unselfishness part of all the guards has been really key,” Donovan said. “I think Lonzo having that stint of 15 or 16 minutes, getting him out there, the team is excited for him. What makes it easier for me is the way those guys have handled it. It’s never been like, ‘Hey, I’m the point guard.’ They’ve all been willing to give up something for the betterment of each other.”
A win over the Celtics on Friday would’ve secured the Bulls’ spot in the NBA Cup knockout round. Instead, they’ve been eliminated from contention, having finished the group stage with a 2-2 record. The Hawks (3-1) won Chicago’s group (East Group C) and earned a place in the quarterfinals.

Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, NBA Cup, Buzelis

November 28th, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bulls wing Ayo Dosunmu has emerged as perhaps Chicago’s best two-way player, despite a recent shooting slump, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Dosunmu, for one, is not concerned about his career-worst 28.2% shooting from three-point land to start the season.

“Take the shots when they’re there,” Dosunmu said. “I understand that I put a lot of work into my jump shot. I’m not really worried about that. When it’s all said and done, I know that I’ll be at a certain percentage. That’s typically how it goes when you put the work in.”

Head coach Billy Donovan considers the fourth-year guard out of Illinois to be the engine of the club’s blisteringly quick offense.

“I’ve put a lot on him as far as the pace-setting for us because he’s so fast coming down the floor,” Donovan said. “Guys are running with him and he’s pushing it ahead, spraying it around, he’s getting into the teeth of the defense, flattening the defense out, but there’s probably been a sacrifice a little bit there with his scoring where he hasn’t had as many opportunities.”

Through his first 20 games (seven starts), the 6’5″ pro is averaging 11.8 points, plus a career-high 4.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

There’s more out of Chicago:

Despite an 8-12 overall record, the Bulls have an opportunity to qualify for the NBA Cup quarterfinals with a win against Boston on Friday, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Chicago is atop East Group C, alongside the Hawks and Celtics, sporting a 2-1 record in group play. That said, a win is unlikely against the reigning champs, who are 15-3 on the year and fairly healthy. Poe opines that it would behoove Chicago to lose as much as possible — including in the NBA Cup — with an eye on the 2025 draft lottery.
Bulls lottery pick Matas Buzelis continues to navigate a steep learning curve in his rookie season, writes Cowley in another article. The 6’10” forward has gotten a major playing opportunity thanks to the extended absence of starting four Patrick Williams. “[The playing time is] very important,” Buzelis said. “I’m looking at it as an opportunity to play in the NBA. I’m super-thankful to play. Every time I step on the floor, I’m thinking of it as a blessing. I’m not taking it for granted. But every time I step out there, I’m going to keep learning, keep getting better.” Across his last four games, Buzelis is averaging 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks in 23.0 minutes per night. On the year, he’s been averaging 4.3 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 11.4 MPG.
In case you missed it, backup Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball returned to action on Wednesday in a loss to the Magic. It marked his first action since suffering a sprained right wrist on October 28.

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