Bulls guard Rob Dillingham has undergone a minor surgery to remove a ganglion cyst from his right wrist, the team announced on Wednesday in a press release.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ganglion cysts are lumps filled with a “jellylike” fluid that most frequently show up on hands or wrists. They’re non-cancerous and are generally harmless, but can affect joint movement and can cause pain if they press on a nerve.
It’s unclear whether Dillingham’s play was meaningfully impacted by his cyst during the 2025/26 season, but the fact that it needed to be addressed surgically suggests it may have been bothering him.
The eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, Dillingham was unable to carve out a consistent role in the Timberwolves’ backcourt. After spending a season-and-a-half in Minnesota, the 21-year-old was traded to Chicago at this season’s deadline as part of the Wolves’ package for Ayo Dosunmu.
Dillingham appeared in 30 games off the bench for the Bulls after that trade, averaging 9.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 21.5 minutes per contest and shooting 42.8% from the floor, including just 30.0% on three-pointers.
Entering the third year of his rookie scale contract this July, Dillingham will earn a guaranteed salary of roughly $6.89MM in 2026/27. The Bulls will have until October 31 to decide whether or not to exercise his $8.76MM team option for ’27/28. If that option is picked up, he’d be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2027 offseason and, potentially, restricted free agency in 2028.
Might as well start out healthy with a new coach coming in. Can’t hurt. He should be still eligible to play in the Summer League right? Is next year his 2nd or 3rd year?
Dillingham sure is fast, and he sure doesn’t know how to play basketball. Still he is just 21 and could learn. Scoot looked hopeless last year but then he scored 30 last night.