The Chicago Bulls are in rough waters right now, and the storm isn’t letting up. They're riding a four-game losing streak, and just when you think the injury report couldn’t get any longer, it does.
On Tuesday, the Bulls got hit with more bad news: both Coby White and Kevin Huerter have been ruled out for Wednesday night’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. White is dealing with a left calf strain, while Huerter is sidelined by a left hamstring issue. It’s another blow to a roster that’s already been stretched thin.
Huerter’s injury came during Monday night’s loss to the Orlando Magic, a 125-120 defeat where he logged just six minutes before exiting with an adductor strain. White, who was initially listed as doubtful for that game, didn’t suit up at all.
And those two aren’t alone in the trainer’s room. The Bulls’ injury list is deep - ten players are currently on it.
That includes Zach Collins (questionable), Noa Essengue (out), Tre Jones (probable), Isaac Okoro (doubtful), Lachlan Olbrich (probable), Julian Phillips (probable), Jalen Smith (questionable), Dalen Terry (questionable), and Patrick Williams (probable). Just recently, the team had 11 players listed before their game against the Pelicans.
That’s not just a tough stretch - that’s a rotation in chaos. With so many players banged up, Chicago has had to get creative with its lineup. For Wednesday’s game in Brooklyn, the projected starting five looks like this: Josh Giddey running the point, Ayo Dosunmu at shooting guard, Patrick Williams at the three, rookie Matas Buzelis at power forward, and Nikola Vucevic anchoring the middle.
If the “probable” guys are indeed good to go, they’ll be the key pieces off the bench. But with so many question marks, it’s hard to know what this rotation will really look like until right before tip-off.
And while Chicago is scrambling to field a healthy unit, the Nets are coming in clean - no players currently listed on the injury report. That’s a tough contrast for a Bulls team that’s trying to stop the bleeding at 9-11 on the season.
After Wednesday’s game, the Bulls won’t get much relief. They’ll face the high-powered Indiana Pacers on Friday, followed by a Sunday showdown with the Golden State Warriors. In a stretch that was already going to be challenging, the lack of healthy bodies makes it even more daunting.
The final lineup will be confirmed closer to the 8:00 p.m. EST tip-off, but one thing’s already clear: the Bulls are in survival mode.