Combo guard Anfernee Simons will visit a hand specialist after the Bulls finish their ongoing road trip, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The Bulls face the Clippers on Thursday and the Lakers on Friday before returning to Chicago ahead of Monday’s home game vs. Memphis.
Head coach Billy Donovan said Simons was able to take some shots during the Bulls’ shootaround on Tuesday. However, the 26-year-old is still experiencing pain, particularly when catching and dribbling the ball, Cowley writes.
Simons, who was acquired ahead of the deadline in a trade with Boston, appeared in six games with Chicago prior to aggravating an ulnar styroid fracture in his left wrist on February 21. He originally sustained the injury during training camp with the Celtics.
Donovan said a couple weeks ago that surgery wasn’t being considered for Simons. At the time, he suggested it might be an option once the season ends if the fracture was still causing Simons problems. The former first-round pick has missed Chicago’s last eight games because of the injury and will miss at least two more.
Simons, who is earning $27.7MM in the final season of his contract, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign a veteran extension before then. In 55 total games this season (24.9 minutes per contest), he has averaged 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists on .440/.385/.896 shooting splits.