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Latest On Injured Bulls Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball

November 21st, 2024 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

Bulls forward Patrick Williams, who missed Wednesday’s loss in Milwaukee due to what the team referred to as left foot soreness, has been ruled out for at least Friday’s and Saturday’s games as well, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Williams returned to Chicago to undergo tests on his surgically repaired left foot and head coach Billy Donovan indicated that those scans showed severe inflammation, as Julie Poe of The Chicago Tribune relays. Further consultation with the Bulls’ medical staff will be required to determine a recovery timeline for the fifth-year forward.

“Obviously, he went on the injury report as questionable with the foot (Monday), and then I think in the game he mentioned that he was feeling it more at halftime, and after the game is when he really started to feel some … I don’t want to say significant pain but a lot more pain than he was feeling beforehand,” Donovan said, per Cowley. “When it felt like the pain was escalating, we wanted to get the imaging done just to see what’s going on.

“He’s got inflammation around that area, they want to figure out why, but it’s going to be at least a week or so to let that calm down and then there’s got to be a plan going forward of how to handle it.”

As Cowley writes, the hope is that Williams is just experiencing normal pain associated with the healing process for a surgery, but the inflammation is a concern.

With Williams unavailable, Donovan turned to Torrey Craig to fill the forward’s spot in the starting lineup, despite the fact that Craig had only logged 18 minutes across three games entering Wednesday’s contest. The veteran swingman acquitted himself well, recording 15 points, six rebounds, and a pair of assists in 28 minutes. He made 6-of-10 shot attempts and was a minus-two in the 16-point loss to the Bucks.

The Bulls also provided an update on point guard Lonzo Ball, who continues to recover from a sprained right wrist that has sidelined him since last month. According to Poe and Cowley, the hope is that Ball will be able to increase his activity in the coming week, but he’s still experiencing discomfort when he attempts to pass and shoot and isn’t expected to return until sometime after Thanksgiving.

“(The next week) will hopefully be when we start to see progress from him,” Donovan said. “I do think he’ll do more ball-handling, do more shooting, but for him to be really ramped up where we can see, it’s probably going to be (another week).”

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Eastern Notes: Hawks, Bulls, Knicks, Bucks

September 21st, 2024 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

While Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela will almost certainly make up two-thirds of the Hawks‘ starting frontcourt, the other starting forward spot remains up for grabs, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who looks at six possible candidates for that role.

De’Andre Hunter looks like the best bet among the contenders for the job, but he was more effective off the bench than in the starting five last season, Williams notes, having made 49.1% of his shots and 42.0% of his three-pointers in 20 games as a reserve.

No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and newly acquired guard Dyson Daniels are among the other options Williams examines. Daniels figures to spend most of his playing time in the backcourt, but could make sense at small forward if Atlanta starts Bogdan Bogdanovic alongside Trae Young in the backcourt and wants to complement them with an elite wing defender.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

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Bulls’ Torrey Craig Picking Up Option

June 29th, 2024 at 4:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls forward Torrey Craig has exercised his $2.8MM player option for next season, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Craig, 33, came to Chicago last summer, signing a two-year contract that paid him $2.5MM this season and included the option for 2024/25. The defensive specialist appeared in 53 games this year, making 14 starts and averaging 5.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.8 minutes per night.

Craig broke into the NBA on a two-way contract with Denver in 2017 and has spent time with Milwaukee, Indiana and Phoenix as well.

It’s unclear what his role might be next season as Chicago appears to be pivoting toward a younger and more athletic team. Craig’s salary could be useful in a trade as Arturas Karnisovas tries to remake the roster.

Craig is the only Bull who had a player option decision to finalize today.

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Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Giddey, Ball, Craig

June 27th, 2024 at 10:49am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls appear to be “open for business” following Wednesday night’s draft and could emerge as the NBA’s biggest wild card when free agency begins this weekend, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Reading between the lines of a post-draft press conference held by executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, Mayberry suggests the organization may be recognizing the need to assemble to a younger and more athletic team.

That could mean parting with free agent DeMar DeRozan, possibly in a sign-and-trade, and taking the best deal they can find for Zach LaVine. Mayberry notes that Karnisovas sidestepped a question Wednesday night about the team’s commitment to keeping DeRozan.

“As I said also before, we’re going to look at everything,” he responded. “Everything is on the table. It’s still an option.”

DeRozan has been Chicago’s best player since joining the team in 2021, and he’s coming off another stellar season, averaging 24 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 79 games. However, he’ll turn 35 this summer and may not be a wise long-term investment for a team that’s trying to escape mediocrity.

Mayberry also points out that this would be a good time for the Bulls to consider rebuilding because their first-round pick in what’s viewed as a strong draft next year is top-10 protected. If it falls outside that range, it will convey to San Antonio as part of the sign-and-trade deal that brought DeRozan to Chicago.

There’s more on the Bulls:

  • Karnisovas defended the price he paid for Josh Giddey twice during his 17-minute meeting with reporters, Mayberry adds. Many observers were surprised that the Bulls didn’t receive any draft compensation when they acquired the 21-year-old guard from Oklahoma City last week in a one-for-one deal for Alex Caruso, one of the league’s best defensive guards. “Bringing a very talented guard that is an elite play-maker and rebounder with elite size, his game is predicated on making everyone better around him, those guys are hard to find and they’re not available,” Karnisovas said. “We were fortunate to get him. And it comes at a high price, which was A.C.”
  • Karnisovas said Lonzo Ball, who has been sidelined with knee issues since January of 2022, is “moving along” in his recovery, per Kyle Williams of The Chicago Sun-Times. Ball has already picked up his $21.4MM player option for next season, which marks the final year of his contract. “We don’t know what he’s going to look like in a month or two, so we’re just going to take one step at a time, and hopefully he’s going to be ready for training camp,” Karnisovas said.
  • The Bulls haven’t received any indication of whether Torrey Craig plans to exercise his $2.8MM player option for next season, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The veteran forward has until Saturday to make his decision.
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Central Notes: Lillard, Giannis, Craig, Cade, Flynn, Mitchell

April 5th, 2024 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Damian Lillard will be back in action for the Bucks on Friday vs. Toronto after missing the last three games due to personal reasons and an adductor strain, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT. Lillard will be looking to help Milwaukee get back on track after a pair of ugly losses this week to lottery-bound teams (the Wizards and Grizzlies).

As Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes, during Wednesday’s loss to the Grizzlies, Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealing with what the Bucks are calling left hamstring tendinopathy and didn’t look like his usual explosive self en route to 21 points on 10-of-23 shooting. He’s listed as doubtful to play in Friday’s game.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • One reason why the Bulls signed Javonte Green for the rest of the season is a belief that Torrey Craig‘s knee still isn’t 100%, even though the veteran wing hasn’t missed a game in nearly a month. “I’m not a doctor, but I do know he has stiffness,” head coach Billy Donovan said of Craig, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “To me, he’s just not himself. That doesn’t mean he isn’t cleared to play. He is, and he wants to play, as well. Going back to the plantar fasciitis [from earlier in the season] and then the knee injury over All-Star break, he’s not moving the way he was before those things. He’s just not.”
  • Pistons guard Cade Cunningham hasn’t gotten any real buzz for this season’s Most Improved Player award, but does he have a case for consideration? James L. Edwards III of The Athletic explores that topic, laying out the argument for Cunningham as MIP.
  • Although it came in a loss, Malachi Flynn‘s 50-point outburst on Wednesday was a feel-good moment for a Pistons team that hasn’t had many of them and for a player who has had a tough season, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). A former first-round pick, Flynn has played for three teams in his contract year and has struggled to carve out consistent minutes for any of those clubs. “We’re all super happy for him because we all know what he’s had to go through,” Evan Fournier said. “I don’t want to say we wouldn’t give a (expletive) if it was Cade, but it wouldn’t be the same. The fact that it’s Malachi adds more to the story, I think.”
  • Following a loss to Phoenix on Wednesday, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell spoke about the issues he’s having getting past a nagging knee ailment and his desire to have it get “1% better every day” in order to be ready to go for the playoffs. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com has the story and the quotes from Mitchell.
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Central Notes: Pistons, Giannis, Lopez, Craig, Phillips

March 15th, 2024 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons entered this season hoping to push for a spot in the postseason. They currently have the NBA’s second-worst record (12-53), so they’ll fall well short of that preseason goal. Still, they’ve won as many times (six) in their past 16 games as they did in their first 49 contests, and have shown real signs of growth as of late, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com and Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

During their past 16 games, the Pistons rank 20th in the NBA in net rating (-3.0) and 16th in defensive rating (113.0). Their pieces also seem to fit together in a way that they didn’t before their trade deadline overhaul, Langlois observes.

“We’re coming together as a team,” center Jalen Duren said, per Sankofa. “We’re all feeling good playing, I feel like everyone is catching their rhythm. You see (Marcus Sasser) coming in and doing his thing, Big Wise (James Wiseman) coming in and doing his thing. … Everyone’s contributing in their own way. That’s helping us.

“… We talk about running through the tape as a team and finishing the year strong, so that’s kinda been my mindset these last whatever games it’s been since All-Star break. Just running through the tape.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • In a conversation with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo offered some interesting thoughts on the integration of Damian Lillard, the team’s multiple recent coaching changes, and the MVP race, among other topics. Antetokounmpo admitted this might be “the hardest season” of his career due to the adjustments to the personnel and coaching changes, as well as the procedure he underwent on his knee last summer.
  • Bucks center Brook Lopez tells Mark Medina of Sportskeeda that he believes the ups and downs of the season have made the team more resilient, adding that Doc Rivers‘ impact on the club has been “incredibly noticeable” since he replaced Adrian Griffin. “He’s given us a great energy and a great confidence,” Lopez said. “Things have been simplified. We have a lot of people on the same page right now.”
  • Torrey Craig made his ninth start of the season on Thursday, replacing injured Bulls guard Coby White. As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago details, Craig made a strong impression, knocking down four three-pointers and serving as the primary defender on Kawhi Leonard.
  • The Bulls announced today in a press release that rookie forward Julian Phillips has been diagnosed with a right foot sprain. The team didn’t offer any sort of recovery timeline for Phillips, simply stating that he’s wearing a walking boot and that his status will be updated as appropriate.
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Central Notes: Middleton, Vucevic, Craig, Gibson

March 7th, 2024 at 10:29pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Bucks wing Khris Middleton, out since Feb. 6 with an ankle injury, spoke to reporters for the first time since his injury, writes Jim Owczarski of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Middleton said he couldn’t think of a worse ankle sprain he’d had than this one in terms of the pain he’s experiencing.

“After it happened I tried to play, run it off a little bit, see if it was going to loosen up or whatever. Just didn’t. Didn’t feel comfortable,” Middleton said. “Went into the back, tried to get re-taped, and as soon as I took my shoe off it just blew up. So had to shut it down.”

He said the process of recovery has taken longer than he’s hoped, but that he has seen improvement. He also said he wouldn’t rule out playing on Milwaukee’s road trip that ends against Sacramento on March 12. The only obstacle left before Middleton is able to return is continued swelling, according to Owczarski.

Middleton knows he needs to play soon to be able to get back to normal form in time for the postseason. He began the year on a minutes restriction and has only played three games under Doc Rivers. With only 19 games remaining in the regular season, Middleton, who is averaging 14.8 points per game this season, is eager to get back into game action.

“I want to get back out there,” Middleton said. “I need to be playing. I’ve been on a minute restriction most of the year so at this point I just need to be on the court. So, I’m fighting every day that I can.”

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Nikola Vucevic has been one of the team’s best defenders over the last three years, and the numbers back that claim up, writes Joe Cowley of Chicago Sun-Times. Vucevic consistently ranks among the team leaders in defensive rating, and Donovan likes the way he can utilize the 13th-year big man. “He’s not going to be as good as [Timberwolves center] Rudy Gobert in drop, but we felt comfortable switching with him in certain situations and putting him on different guys, and he understands how to gap and move his feet,” Donovan said. “He’s a smart defender. I would say he’s played very well for us defensively.“
  • Bulls forward Torrey Craig, who hasn’t played since Feb. 14 and has played just six games since Dec. 16, made his return to the lineup against the Warriors on Thursday. According to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson (Twitter link), he was on a restriction of 12-to-16 minutes.
  • The Pistons signed Taj Gibson to a 10-day deal on Wednesday after he spent time with the Knicks earlier this season. Head coach Monty Williams explained the signing, saying that he envisions Gibson helping young players like Jalen Duren (Twitter link via The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III). “I just like having another veteran guy around our team,” Williams said, per Omari Sankofa II of Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). “You look at Evan [Fournier] and how he’s had an impact on the floor and some other areas. I told the guys how you approach your career can pay dividends down the road. He’s had a 15-year-career.“
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Central Notes: Giannis, White, Craig, Wade

March 6th, 2024 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Giannis Antetokounmpo will return to the Bucks‘ lineup tonight against Golden State after missing Monday’s game with left Achilles tendinitis, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. Coach Doc Rivers confirmed Antetokounmpo’s status after watching him go through his pre-game warmup.

In a full story by Owczarski, Antetokounmpo talks about the career breakthrough he was able to make when he learned to “get over” himself and accept that his performance doesn’t always have to be the difference between winning and losing. Antetokounmpo adds that he feels like this is the most mature he has been since he entered the NBA.

“I’m able to get to my spot better and execute. And if the ball doesn’t go in, I’m OK with it,” he said. “I think it’s called abundance mentality. I know what I’ve done in the past and that gives me like, confidence, and I’m able to go out there and execute without thinking, not having self-doubts about myself or think I’m not good enough. Kind of like being OK with me. So, that allows me to play good basketball. Mentally, I’m in a very good place.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Bulls guard Coby White has emerged as one of the top candidates for Most Improved Player, notes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. White scored 37 points in a comeback victory Monday at Sacramento — the seventh time this season he has reached the 30-point mark. “It would mean a lot to me,” he said of the award. “Just to show the progress I’ve made and to set the example to younger guys around the NBA that people can count you out and say what you want about you. But as long as you stay true to who you are, keep working and stay humble throughout, things can come your way.”
  • Bulls wing Torrey Craig is getting close to returning from a sprained right knee that has kept him out of action since the All-Star break, Johnson tweets. Coach Billy Donovan told reporters, “There’s some optimism he could play tomorrow (at Golden State).”
  • Dean Wade‘s 20-point explosion in the fourth quarter against Boston on Tuesday showed why the Cavaliers were willing to give him a three-year extension and part with Kevin Love last season, states Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. Wade’s production will become more important while Evan Mobley is sidelined with a sprained left ankle.
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Injury Notes: Curry, Martin, Booker, Craig, Giannis, Markkanen

March 5th, 2024 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets will be without injured wings Seth Curry and Cody Martin for at least two weeks, the team announced on Monday (Twitter link). Both players were injured in Friday’s loss to Philadelphia, with Curry spraining his right ankle and Martin suffering a left ankle sprain.

The banged-up Hornets had already been playing without a pair of key starters in LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams. Martin had been a fixture in the starting lineup for the better part of the past two months, while Curry got his first start on Friday since being traded to Charlotte at last month’s deadline.

It’s an unfortunate setback for Martin, who missed most of last season and the first two months of this season due to a knee issue. The Hornets guard/forward had been looking more like his old self in recent weeks before heading back to the injured list over the weekend.

As for Curry, this injury clouds his availability for a showdown vs. the Warriors in Charlotte later this month. That game is expected to reunite Seth with his brother Stephen Curry and their father Dell Curry (a Hornets broadcaster) in the city where the brothers grew up. If Seth is ready to return – or at least close to returning – when he’s reevaluated in two weeks, he could still suit up for that March 29 game.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

  • Sources told Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic on Monday that Devin Booker‘s recovery timeline for his sprained right ankle is expected to be in the range of five-to-14 days, with five days as a best-case outcome and two weeks representing a worst-case scenario. Earlier in the day on Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic had projected a seven-to-10 day timeline for the Suns guard.
  • Injured Bulls wing Torrey Craig is ramping up his activity as he makes his way back from a right knee sprain, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who says Craig was doing individual work on Monday. Head coach Billy Donovan told reporters that the veteran will be on a minutes restriction upon his return, which may not be far off. “I don’t know about this road trip, (but) it’s not out of the question,” Donovan said. “A lot of it depends on how he continues to progress, but I think the medical guys are pretty optimistic of where he is at this point and time, so he’s definitely progressing closer and closer to playing.”
  • A pair of star forwards sat out on Monday, as Giannis Antetokounmpo (left Achilles tendinitis) missed the Bucks‘ game against the Clippers while Lauri Markkanen (right quad contusion) was unavailable for the Jazz‘s matchup with the Wizards (Twitter links via Eric Nehm of The Athletic and Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune). There’s no indication at this point that either injury is more significant than a day-to-day issue.
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Torrey Craig Has Right Knee Sprain, Out Multiple Weeks

February 20th, 2024 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls forward Torrey Craig suffered a right knee sprain while working out during the All-Star break, the team’s PR department tweets. Craig will be reevaluated in two-to-four weeks.

Craig, who started regularly for the Suns last season, has appeared in 33 games (eight starts) this season in Chicago. The defensive stalwart is averaging 6.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21 minutes per game.

It’s the second significant injury Craig has suffered this season. He was sidelined in mid-December with an acute sprain of his right plantar fascia and didn’t return until Feb. 3.

Craig signed a two-year, $5.4MM contract during free agency last summer that includes a player option for next season.

Craig has mainly been used as an undersized power forward. The team’s starting power forward, Patrick Williams, is also dealing with an injury. He’s been out since Jan. 25 due to a left foot issue and isn’t close to returning.

Coach Billy Donovan said on Tuesday that Williams hasn’t started running yet and the staff is being “very, very careful” with the former lottery pick, who is still experiencing mild discomfort in the foot, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets.

The frontcourt injuries could spur the Bulls to find help on the buyout market. They have an open roster spot.

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