Chandler Hutchison Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls’ Chandler Hutchison Tests Positive For COVID-19

January 2nd, 2021 at 9:46am CST by marksuleymanov

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan announced that forward Chandler Hutchison has tested positive for COVID-19, ESPN’s Eric Woodyard writes.

Hutchison is currently in Washington, D.C., where Chicago beat the Wizards on Thursday. In addition to Hutchison, the Bulls were without Lauri Markkanen, Ryan Arcidiacono and Tomas Satoransky for Friday’s tilt against the Bucks under the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

“He’s going through the NBA safety and protocols,” Donovan said of Hutchinson.

This is not the Bulls’ first encounter with COVID-19 this season. Noah Vonleh tested positive during the preseason and was subsequently released. Guard Garrett Temple confirmed he tested positive in late November.

Hutchison, 24, has appeared in four games for Chicago this season, averaging 3.3 PPG and 4.3 RPG off the bench. He will have to clear the league’s safety and protocols before returning, which includes a quarantine period and producing several negative COVID-19 tests.

Four Bulls Players Out Due To COVID-19 Protocols

December 31st, 2020 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls will be without Lauri Markkanen, Ryan Arcidiacono, Tomas Satoransky, and Chandler Hutchison on Thursday evening vs. the Wizards due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, head coach Billy Donovan said today (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago).

Those health and safety protocols are related to COVID-19, but neither teams nor the league have been providing many details on specific players’ absences. It’s possible one or more of the affected Bulls players had a positive or inconclusive coronavirus test result. They may also be tied up in the NBA’s contact tracing program.

Donovan told reporters – including Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic (Twitter link) – that he’s unsure how long Markkanen, Arcidiacono, Satoransky, and Hutchison will be unavailable. He’s also not even certain whether or not those four players will be permitted to travel out of D.C. with the rest of the team after tonight’s game (Twitter link via Johnson).

While the Bulls wait for clarity on a potential timeline for their missing players, they’ll have to figure out a new-look lineup and rotation tonight vs. Washington and presumably on Friday vs. Milwaukee as well. Markkanen had started at power forward in each of Chicago’s first four games, while the other three players logged between 28 and 68 total minutes in those contests.

Central Notes: Cavs, Pistons, Hayes, Griffin, Hutchison

December 30th, 2020 at 9:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers received approval from the Ohio Department of Health to increase their crowd capacity for home games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. As Fedor details, the franchise will now be able to host 1,944 fans per game, which is the equivalent of 10% of the arena’s capacity.

Ohio regulations currently limit attendance at indoor sports arena or entertainment venues to 300 people or 15% of the seating capacity, whichever is less. So an exception is being made for the Cavaliers, who will be able to host nearly 2,000 fans.

However, that amount still falls well short of the team’s initial request. According to Fedor, the plan the Cavs originally submitted to government officials asked for an allowance of 4,596 fans, 23.65% of their arena’s capacity.

Here’s more from around the Central:

The Pistons, who are off to an 0-4 start this season, are prepared to go through some growing pains as Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey, Killian Hayes, and their other youngsters get acclimated to the NBA. “This year is about getting those guys ready, developing, teaching – and it’s painful,” head coach Dwane Casey said, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “We’re going through it right now and we’ve just got to learn from those situations and we’ve just got to be ready when they throw it up again.”
As Rod Beard of The Detroit News details, both Hayes and Blake Griffin left the Pistons‘ loss on Tuesday due to injuries — Hayes suffered a right ankle sprain, while Griffin entered the concussion protocol after taking an elbow to the jaw. It’s unclear so far whether Hayes and Griffin are being considered day-to-day or whether they may be ruled out for multiple games.
Despite being limited to 72 games and making just 29.5% of his three-point attempts in his first two NBA seasons, Chandler Hutchison had his $4MM fourth-year option for 2021/22 picked up by the Bulls. Now healthy, Hutchison is looking to prove he can make an impact off the bench, writes Sam Smith of Bulls.com.

Bulls Exercise Options On White, Carter, Hutchison

December 19th, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have exercised the third-year team option on guard Coby White and fourth-year options on Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison for the 2021/22 season, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic tweets.

Chicago’s decisions on White and Carter, lottery picks and members of the starting five, were mere formalities. The Bulls’ decision on Hutchison wasn’t a slam dunk, though he’s projected to be a rotation player this season.

White, the seventh pick in last year’s draft, will receive $5,837,760 during the 2021/22 season. White averaged 13.2 PPG and 2.7 APG in 25.8 MPG as a rookie.

Carter, who was taken at the same spot in the 2018 draft, will receive a guaranteed $6,920,027 in 2021/22 while Hutchison will make $4,019,459.

Carter was limited to 43 games last season due to a thumb injury. He averaged 11.3 PPG and 9.4 RPG in 29.2 MPG.

Hutchison underwent shoulder surgery in March after play was halted. Hutchison, who was the No. 22 pick in 2018, had both of his two professional seasons cut short by health issues. In total, he has appeared in just 72 games (19.8 MPG), averaging 6.2 PPG and 4.1 RPG on .458/.295/.595 shooting since arriving in Chicago.

Bulls’ Hutchison Undergoing Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

March 11th, 2020 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Bulls forward Chandler Hutchison is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on March 17, the Bulls announced today in a press release. The procedure, which will address Hutchison’s acromioclavicular joint injury, has a projected recovery timeline of 12-16 weeks and will bring his season to an early end.

The news doesn’t come as a surprise, since a weekend report indicated that Hutchison was weighing the possibility of going under the knife. He’s the latest Bulls player to be ruled out for most or all of the rest of the 2019/20 campaign — Kris Dunn and Luke Kornet appear unlikely to return due to knee and foot injuries, respectively.

Hutchison, who was a first-round pick in 2018, has seen both of his two professional seasons cut short by health issues. In total, he has appeared in just 72 games (19.8 MPG), averaging 6.2 PPG and 4.1 RPG on .458/.295/.595 shooting since arriving in Chicago.

The Bulls have Hutchison under contract for a guaranteed $2.44MM salary in 2020/21 and will have to make a decision in the fall on his $4.02MM option for the 2021/22 season. Even if the 23-year-old is fully healthy for training camp, there’s no guarantee that option will be exercised.

Chandler Hutchison May Be Done For Season

March 8th, 2020 at 3:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Second-year Bulls small forward Chandler Hutchison may have suited up for his last game this season, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson.

Hutchison is considering arthroscopic surgery to treat the injured right shoulder that has limited him to just 28 games in his second season. A sesamoid foot fracture cut his rookie season short too. He played just 44 games in 2018/19. He will have played just 72 of a possible 164 games heading into his third year with the Bulls.

“This next week is kind of the final push on testing what I can do with [the shoulder] and if I’m going to be able to get out there or do something and make a decision,” Hutchison said. “Hopefully, I can get past the rehab and really focus on the summer.”

The defensive-oriented 6’7″ wing was drafted with the No. 22 pick out of Boise State by Chicago in 2018. He sports season averages of 7.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.9 APG, and has started in 10 games this year.

Although Bulls have had some players get healthy lately, they’re still down a few. Kris Dunn and Luke Kornet will likely miss the rest of the season with knee and foot injuries, respectively.

Bulls Notes: Boylen, Arcidiacono, Hutchison, Gafford

February 23rd, 2020 at 11:42am CST by Arthur Hill

Frustration among Bulls players is being caused not only by eight straight losses, but by coach Jim Boylen’s unusual timeout strategy, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Boylen called a timeout last night with 30 seconds to play and his team trailing by 10 points. Television cameras seemed to capture Zach LaVine expressing bewilderment over the decision.

“He hasn’t said a word to me about it agitating him,” Boylen said of LaVine. “I don’t know if you’re reading his mind on that or if you’re just making that assumption that that’s what he’s upset about. He hasn’t said a word to me about it. He’s very respectful about me coaching the team and me trying to help the team. So you’ll have to ask him.”

Asked about Boylen’s strategy, LaVine responded, “That’s what he do, man. That’s what he do. I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not the coach. He’s told me he likes working on things that we do in practice and things like that. He’s the head coach. He can call timeout if he wants to.”

Mayberry documents four other instances this month where Boylen has used timeouts in the closing seconds with his team hopelessly behind. He notes that players have been reluctant to buy into Boylen’s coaching methods, and his 36-79 record since taking over hasn’t helped. However, he retains the support of management and was given a two-year extension after last season.

There’s more from Chicago:

Ryan Arcidiacono has made his first two starts of the season in the two games since the All-Star break, and he’s likely to continue in that role as long as Chandler Hutchison remains injured, Boylen tells K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “(Arcidiacono starting) keeps Coby (White) in that backup role, where he’s finding his voice and he’s learning to play that (lead guard) position,” Boylen said. “And I think that’s important too. Coby has more of a voice with that second group, and we’re asking him to run that group as efficiently as he can and learn.”
Hutchison got a cortisone shot in his injured right shoulder for the second time this season and expressed hope that he will be able to return, although he didn’t offer a target date, Johnson relays in a separate story. Hutchison also indicated offseason surgery may be necessary. “It’s something as a last resort kind of deal. With what’s going on with my shoulder, it could be used to clean it out. Or it could be something that heals on its own,” he said. “Right now, I’m hoping that with rest it’s something I can get to a point where it heals on its own. And then those talks will kind of advance if it gets to that point.”
Daniel Gafford tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that he hopes to use the final six weeks of the season to prove he’s worthy of a larger role in the rotation.

Bulls’ Denzel Valentine Upset Over Demotion

January 11th, 2020 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls swingman Denzel Valentine is voicing his frustrations over being dropped from the rotation by coach Jim Boylen, relays Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Valentine performed well when he was given regular playing time in December, reaching double figures in scoring six times in a seven-game stretch. Cowley notes that the Bulls, who have a 14-26 record, were 6-6 last month when Valentine logged at least 10 minutes.

‘‘I’m definitely not happy about it,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m a competitor. I want to play, I want to be productive, I want to help the team win. But that’s out of my control, so I’m not about to let it make [me] not happy every day.’’

Boylen informed Valentine last week that he was being pulled from the rotation in a decision that may be related to the 26-year-old’s long-term future in Chicago. He will be a restricted free agent after the season, and sources tell Cowley the Bulls don’t intend to re-sign him. The club would reportedly be happy to include him in a trade package if the opportunity arises before next month’s deadline.

‘‘I’ve just got to take it a day at a time,’’ Valentine said. ‘‘I can’t try and think about the future and worry about the future because you never know what’s going to happen. If I get moved or if I stay here … I’m happy I’m in the NBA, living my dream.’’

It was Chandler Hutchison‘s return from a shoulder injury that relegated Valentine to the bench, adds K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Valentine had his second straight DNP-CD tonight and has played just nine total minutes in January.

The only bright side for Valentine is that his ankle has held up after surgery forced him to miss all of last season. That should bolster his trade value, and Johnson speculates that the Bulls might try to include him as part of any deal that involves Thaddeus Young.

“I let my agent handle that. I try not to worry too much about that. I try to make the most out of my situation right now,” Valentine said. “I feel I can play on any team. I’m trying to make the Chicago Bulls better. Any other stuff is out of my control.”

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/1/20

January 1st, 2020 at 7:52pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Here are Wednesday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Timberwolves have recalled rookie shooting guard Jaylen Nowell from their G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, according to a team press release. Nowell was drafted by the Wolves with the No. 43 pick this summer. The 6’4″ guard out of Washington has appeared in five games for Minnesota. In 15 games for Iowa, Nowell is logging impressive averages of 21.3 PPG on 50% shooting from the floor, 5.3 RPG and 3.4 APG.
The Bucks have sent forward Dragan Bender to their G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, according to the NBA G League’s website. The forward, drafted No. 4 in 2016 by Phoenix, has played just three games for Milwaukee this season.
The Bulls have recalled second-year small forward Chandler Hutchison from their G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, according to the team’s Twitter. Drafted with the No. 22 pick in 2018, Hutchison has only appeared in nine games for Chicago due to injury. With Otto Porter‘s extended absence dragging into 2020, odds are good Hutchison will see significant time in Chicago this year.
The NBA G League website notes that the Jazz have assigned rookie guards Nigel Williams-Goss and Miye Oni to the Salt Lake City Stars, their G League affiliate. Williams-Goss has appeared in eight games for the major league club, Oni has logged time in three.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/13/19

December 13th, 2019 at 7:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Friday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Bulls assigned swingman Chandler Hutchison and forward Cristiano Felicio to the Windy City Bulls, the team’s PR department tweets. Hutchison is rehabbing from a shoulder injury which has limited him to nine games this season. Felicio, who has averaged 17.4 PPG and 11.4 RPG in 34.7 MPG with Windy City in eight starts, is recovering from a wrist injury.