Bulls starting point guard Josh Giddey has a left hamstring strain and will miss at least a few weeks, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic confirms through the team’s PR department that the injury, initially diagnosed as hamstring tightness, is a strain (Twitter link).
Giddey, acquired from Oklahoma City prior to last season, has been enjoying a career year with averages of 19.2 points, 9.0 assists and 8.9 rebounds in 29 games. He leads the Bulls in all three statistical categories, so his loss — even for a few weeks — could have a huge impact on their season and approach to the trade deadline.
Chicago had won five straight before losing its last two games to fall to 15-17. The Bulls are currently in ninth place in the East, which would put them in the play-in tournament.
It’s been a painful week injury-wise as Coby White re-injured his right calf on Monday and Zach Collins suffered a toe injury. That duo is also expected to miss multiple games.
Giddey was one of several restricted free agents on the market during the offseason who endured lengthy negotiations. It worked out in the long run as he signed a four-year, $100MM deal heading into training camp.
Without their starting backcourt, the Bulls will have to rely on Tre Jones, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter and Jevon Carter to get them through the upcoming weeks.
If the Bulls chose to go into sell mode before the trade deadline, they’ll have multiple expiring contracts to dangle. Nikola Vucevic, Collins, Huerter, White, Dosunmu and Carter all fit into that category.
Get well Josh ……. now what ????
33 mins, 19.2 pts, .507% 2pt, .76% FT, .386% 3pt
9 ast, 9 reb ……..
Yeahh he would’ve made all star if they kept a decent record while he was still healthy. Not totally his fault that the team around him sucks though. Hopefully management can fix the roster by next season
haha ‘by next season’
Hope he doesn’t find another under age girlfriend while he’s recuperating.
Hilarious bro ..
Benji- It’s his only comment on here. It’s the only thing he knows about. The only thing, It’s his existence.
Lol. Yea I’m sure Josh is losing so much sleep over it
Sell sell sell. Tank tank tank. The second you get an offer for Vucevic, take it. I think they’re in pretty good shape from a cap standpoint. I would love to sell off Vuc plus anybody else and take a bad EXPIRING contract back. A late first rounder would be great, even if it’s 2030. Who cares. Acquire picks, acquire assets.
Maybe we get lucky and Portland goes on a heater and is outside the top 15, then we get their first. Just blow this show up.
Agree, do anything with the future in mind. Enough of this half in garbage. Stock assets. Should be able to get some decent picks for Vic, Coby, and just about anyone else not named Giddey.
Nobody wants any of their players. Y’all seem to value players more than teams do. Coby is not getting you a first. He has shown he can’t stay healthy and is just a back end starter.
Well yeah not anymore. Duh. Last year at the daft he would have brought a late 1st I bet. Timing is everything. Now he’s a one dimensional injured guy.
Not true TWolves value him. Teams have need for scoring PGs. If you love your Bulls. Look to Jalen Green. Coby is a good fit with Booker.
And Green makes sense on a team that wants to run.
That’s what they do. Bulls are more offense than defense right now. Thats what Billy is pushing.
They might get a few 2nds for Vuc. It would be a miracle if they get any 1sts for his one-sided style of play
Vuc helps no contender, and the Bulls will be very lucky to get more than a 2RP for him. Quentin Post is better moving forward (if Kerr actually plays him instead of putting 9 shooting guards in front of him for no reason on the depth chart).
I heard they are calling up a new player, named Sherman Tank…
Signing Tre Jones on a 2 year extension has definitely benefitted this team while dealing with injuries to Ayo, and Coby. Finally a decent extension that makes sense for the current and future of this team.
Well said. They need to re sign Collins. He’s something they need off he bench. Just needs to get healthy.
The only guys that should be on the roster after this year should be Giddey, Buzelis, Jones, Smith and Collins. Use the Cap Space WISELY! Heck move Essengue alone or package him with something for help now. But we know they won’t do any of that. It’s pretty much a pipe dream. A good Front Office could do a lot with what they have right now if they’re smart. Yeah Pipe Dream.
Mike, I have a feeling they will resign Collins. I like his game for our team. Very good big man. I personally think they’ll try and complete a S&T with Julius Randle or Jerami Grant in the offseason and use Patrick Williams $18M AAV to make the team.
Giddey – Keep
Jones – Keep (unless blown away)
Smith – I’d move him for an actual big man who can defend
Collins – Keep
Buzelis – Keep but switch positions to SF
Giddey/Ayo/Buzelis/Randle or Grant/Collins will be the team next year and mix in that with a 1st rounder like Cenac Jr from Houston who is 6’11 or Dash Daniels, I’ll be satisfied going into next year.
I also think Ayo can be moved and then Re signed in the off season if the team he goes to doesn’t give him an extension. I wouldn’t mind that at all.
We need to accomplish two things, do not add future salary for average players and also build around Giddey/Buzelis. We REALLY need a big and that’s why the Essengue pick was stupid to begin with. Foundation of the team was there for you with DQ being available. Now, we need to hope and get a top 8 pick to get either a wing player or a big who has some upside like Queen did.
Atrocious thinking last June by this front office.
The Essengue pick was definitely head-scratching for sure. I mean looking at both players at this moment..I’d say they are both best equipped to play the small forward position..they are quick and athletic enough to get up and down the floor but not enough weight to hold their own against 4s like Randle, or triple j. Point is the bulls need to prioritize defense going forward in order balance the team around Giddey and Matas. They need to make smart moves for a good power forward and Center of the future for the team. Both guys don’t have to be perfect but they need a defensive ace at one of those positions. Lastly, I think Essengue will be nice in a few years once he fully develops his natural game. As long as he stays healthy, his upside is good and he could be similar to Dyson Daniel’s on the defensive end or he could also have decent scoring potential like a pascal siakam. But I think he’s gonna be a raw bench piece until then
You guys don’t need to do anything. Just like sac you can tank with your vets mixed with rookies.
Some teams don’t agree with tanking. So this is a bad take on both teams