Bulls guard Coby White has tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t join the team on its two-game road trip to New York and Brooklyn, head coach Billy Donovan said today (Twitter link via Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic).
While Donovan didn’t say as much today, White will likely miss at least two or three more games due to his positive test. A player who contracts the coronavirus must sit out for at least 10 days or return two negative tests 24 hours apart before he’s cleared to return to action.
White’s 2021/22 debut was delayed as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. The 21-year-old has appeared in Chicago’s last nine games after missing the first 13, but has struggled to make an impact. He’s averaging just 6.1 PPG and 1.3 APG on .349/.226/.571 shooting in 17.6 minutes per contest and could be set back further by the effects of COVID-19.
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic also contracted the coronavirus this season and missed seven games. If White follows a similar timeline, he should be back in action before Christmas. Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu, and Javonte Green are among the candidates for increased minutes with White sidelined.
The Bulls have resumed daily COVID-19 testing in the wake of White’s positive result, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBA Sports Chicago.
This isn’t exactly the best way to impress your new front office. I like Coby. He’s like Lou Williams, but we need live bodies when this team has beaten it’s early season expectations and competing and more importantly winning against better talented clubs. I’d be shocked if he’s a member of the Chicago Bulls by TD. Coach Donovan is doing his wonders with this team, but also I’ll give credit to Maurice Cheeks. This team competes at the highest level on defense, in and out and the record clearly shows.
Let your front office down by catching Covid? That’s an interesting take lol
Clearly some late night shenanigans are involved. No one just “catches the Covid.”
Of course not, I meant with the injury bug then the inconsistent play along with now COVID. Seems like a lost season to being his 3rd year with the Bulls.
Raz> its suck,but still tx god it wasnt zach or ddr. Bulls still need to keep him.our bench have no scoring player.but im happy if bulls trade him for richaun holmes.of course bulls need to add another player,maybe blazers pick and tbj.
I think Holmes is a good player buts he’s too undersized. I personally don’t find a good fit for White to be honest. We need size and athleticism. Lots of teams are looking for that. Maybe Mamba, but I doubt Magic would trade him for another guard when they have so many?
sucks to suck
It’s a long season. The season is only a quarter over. So, if Coby misses two or three weeks, the Bulls can just go back to using LaVine, Ball, Caruso and Dosunmu. The Bulls are deep at guard. Troy Brown and DeRozan play like guards also. Like White but the Bulls can get by easily without White.
He was just getting unstuck last couple of games, damn. Bad for him if they keep winning without him. He might be trade bait for one of the Kings’ bigs anyway. Bigger need for the Bulls at this point than bench scoring, seems Ayo can handle that pretty well.