Reserve Bulls guard Coby White is heading back to the Advocate Center, Chicago’s practice facility, today, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). White had tested positive for COVID-19 on December 1. This marks his first time back since first being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The Bulls have been hit hard by COVID-19 thus far this season. A return for White would still leave the Bulls with eight players in the league’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, after news arrived earlier today that All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine and reserve swingman Troy Brown Jr. had both entered COVID-19 protocols.
LaVine, Brown, DeMar DeRozan, Ayo Dosunmu, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., Matt Thomas and Stanley Johnson all remain in protocols as of this writing. As we mentioned earlier today, Green could also clear protocols and return to the court in time for the Bulls’ next game on Tuesday. Starting center Nikola Vucevic also missed significant time earlier this season after contracting COVID-19.
Teams need to be able to suit up at least eight players to avoid a game being postponed. Assuming White can play, that would bring the Bulls’ tally of available players to 10, including Alfonzo McKinnie, who along with the now-out Johnson was added as a hardship exception player after so many Bulls were placed in protocols.
The 17-10 Bulls have lost their last two contests, to the Cavaliers and Heat, thanks in no small part to the absences of most of their players. They hope to right the ship against the 4-21 Pistons on Tuesday.
White has had spotty availability this season. Prior to missing the past two weeks with his coronavirus diagnosis, he also sat for the Bulls’ first 13 contests this year while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Across nine games this year, the third-year combo guard is averaging just 6.1 PPG, 2.6 and 1.3 APG. These are modest numbers for White, but he is seeing significantly fewer touches than he had in his prior two NBA seasons due to a reduced role on a competitive roster. More worrying is his shooting line this season: a career-worst .349/.226/.571.
76ers are better than every commenters team. Morey gonna fleece a team with a Ben Simmons trade. Haters in denial acting like no one wants Ben. Watch these morons comment their stupidity
cool
I think you beat everyone else to it, congrats!!
Waaaaa duuuuuuh what?
You say sumtin ta me?
When a Simmons trade happens… the word ‘fleeced’ will be thrown around by both sides.