Zach Collins

Bulls Notes: Vucevic, Collins, Smith, White, Draft Night, Okoro, Jones

December 13th, 2025 at 8:12am CST by Dana Gauruder

Nikola Vucevic sat for the last 19 minutes of the Bulls’ 129-126 win over Charlotte on Friday, which snapped Chicago’s seven-game losing streak. Head coach Billy Donovan said the decision did not reflect his long-term plans for the center position, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune.

Zach Collins wound up playing 20 minutes, contributing 16 points and eight rebounds, while Jalen Smith logged 17 minutes and grabbed 10 rebounds.

“Whatever the case may be — maybe next game it’s not my night,” Collins said. “Maybe it’s Stix (Smith’s) night closing the game, maybe it’s Vooch’s night. We’ve got really good bigs that can finish games. Now we’re at the point where we can play the 4 and the 5. I just think it’s the tribute to the level of bigs we have that we can mess with the lineups like that.”

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Amid a report that the Timberwolves have inquired on Coby White, the Bulls guard replied that he’d prefer to stay put, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links). “I love being here. I love being on this team,” said White, who is in his walk year. “But I understand it’s a business and it’s different going into (unrestricted free agency). They have to do what they think is best for the organization. It’s out of my control.” Johnson notes that while White is definitely on some teams’ radars, there is currently little to no engagement from potential suitors.
The Bulls have taken some criticisms in the media for not making a trade with the Pelicans on draft night. New Orleans president of basketball operations Joe Dumars surprisingly traded the No. 23 overall pick and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks to move up to No. 13 to draft Maryland big man Derik Queen. However, a high-ranking Bulls official told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that the Pelicans never contacted the Bulls about the No. 12 pick, contradicting Dumars’ subsequent statements. In fact, if New Orleans had presented such a trade, Chicago would have done the deal, Cowley says.
Smith, Isaac Okoro and Tre Jones were under minutes restrictions on Friday after returning from injuries, according to Poe. Okoro had 15 points in 26 minutes while Jones added six points and five assists in 25 minutes.

Bulls Notes: Losing Streak, Okoro, Essengue, Vucevic

December 8th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Billy Donovan credits the Warriors‘ “identity” with helping them to survive a string of injuries, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required), who adds that the identity Donovan’s team is developing should be a major concern.

The Bulls dropped their seventh straight game Sunday night, losing by 32 points to a Golden State team that was missing Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The Warriors still managed to score 38 points in the first quarter while shooting 8-of-13 from beyond the arc and outrebounded Chicago by an 11-6 margin.

‘‘I do think for some of the guys that have been thrust into situations where their minutes have changed, responsibilities have changed, we’ve got to be able to stay true and hold true to that (identity),’’ Donovan said. ‘‘That’s the thing I try to look at where, yes, you’ve got all these injuries, but what about the things we can control about how we’re supposed to play and how we need to be able to play? Some of the things that have hurt have been the ball-handling issue and the turnovers. We’ve had a lot of responsibilities on particular guys just because that’s one thing that’s kind of gone out with the injuries is the ball-handling, but we’ve got to be able to do a better job with that.’’

After winning their first five games, the Bulls have taken a severe downturn, dropping to 11th in the East at 9-14. The early advantages they got from committing to Donovan’s fast-paced style have disappeared, and there don’t seem to be any obvious paths to a quick turnaround. However, guard Coby White insists that players are remaining united through the adversity.

‘‘Whatever we do, we’ve got to do it together,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s the most important thing. I’ve been here a long time, seen a lot of different situations, been in different scenarios, and the most important thing is we can’t start pointing fingers or anything like that. I’m not saying by any means we’ve done that, but we’re all human. So the most important thing right now is we’ve got to stick together. It’s still a very long season.’’

There’s more from Chicago:

There’s some optimism on the injury front, Cowley states in a separate story. Forwards Isaac Okoro (back) and Jalen Smith (left hamstring) and guard Kevin Huerter (adductor) were all able to do some on-court work prior to Sunday’s game. The Bulls are now 1-7 without Okoro, and Cowley states that they desperately miss their best perimeter defender. ‘‘He has made progress and has felt better, but he still feels like when he goes back, he still feels it there,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘Some of those symptoms have subsided, but the hardest part for me is … they’re all going to need some ramp-up. Even if they’re feeling really good, I don’t know if the medical guys are going to say, ‘OK, you’re fine,’ and throw them right back into a game.’’
Rookie forward Noa Essengue confirmed that it was his decision to undergo surgery on his injured left shoulder now rather than try to play through the pain and wait for the offseason, Cowley adds. ‘‘If I waited until the end of the season, I would be gone all summer,’’ he said. ‘‘And if I do it now, I can have all summer.’’
The Bulls aren’t getting the bench production they did earlier in the season, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required). Injuries have played a role in that drop-off, but Poe points out that Patrick Williams, Dalen Terry and Zach Collins were all available on Sunday.
Nikola Vucevic is unlikely to be the Bulls’ starting center beyond this season, Poe states in a mailbag column. While Collins could inherit that role, Poe believes the eventual long-term solution will come through the draft.

Central Notes: Green, Robinson, Bulls, Collins, Thompson

December 6th, 2025 at 8:30am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks, already reeling from Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s calf strain, have another injury issue to deal with heading into their matchup with the Pistons on Saturday. Guard A.J. Green suffered a shoulder injury in their loss to Philadelphia on Friday and will undergo an MRI today.

“Losing A.J. Green hurts you,” head coach Doc Rivers said, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We can’t sustain much more, especially with guys that make shots. You’ve still got to figure out ways to win games.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

After missing a couple of games with an ankle sprain, Pistons wing Duncan Robinson played a pivotal role in the team’s six-point victory over Portland on Friday. Robinson, who was acquired in a sign-and-trade with Miami over the summer, scored eight of his 14 points during the fourth quarter. “He relishes those moments,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Since we’ve had [Duncan], you would just watch him and he’s not afraid of the moment. He loves the moment, and he knows it’s what this team needs. He is one of our best catch-and-shoot guys off the move, and he knows how to create those shots for him[self] – stretch the floor, create that space. But [he’s] got nerves of steel and a ton of courage.”
The Bulls’ woes continued on Friday. They endured their sixth straight loss, falling to the Pacers, 120-105. “It’s still a very long season,” guard Coby White said, per Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. “I’ve been through the ups and downs here for seven years now. The most important thing is we stick together through this. The season’s always going to be filled with adversities. We got a chance to change the narrative right now. The most important thing for me is we don’t let go of the rope and we do this thing together.”
Bulls big man Zach Collins made his season debut on Friday after suffering a fractured wrist in the final game of the preseason. The Pacers targeted him on defense immediately, according to Poe, taking advantage of his sluggish pace of play after a month-and-a-half on the sidelines. He finished with eight points and six rebounds in 21 minutes.
Ethan Thompson made his NBA debut with the Pacers on Monday after signing a two-way deal last weekend. He had appeared in 194 G League games before getting his big break. “The heart was racing fast because it’s something you look forward to your whole life,” he told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “Being able to go out there, and then once the ball went in, I was able to calm myself down and then it just became basketball. Definitely leading up to the moment, a lot of fun thoughts racing.” Thompson played 34 minutes on Friday, contributing 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Bulls Notes: Collins, White, Dosunmu, Spiral, Buzelis

December 5th, 2025 at 6:53pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran big man Zach Collins will make his 2025/26 season debut on Friday when the Bulls face Indiana, head coach Billy Donovan told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).

Collins suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist during a preseason game in mid-October and subsequently had surgery to address the injury. The former lottery pick, who was selected 10th overall in the 2017 draft, was cleared for contact work earlier this week.

Collins will be limited to approximately 20 minutes in his first game back, according to Donovan.

Here’s more on the slumping Bulls, who have lost five straight games entering Friday:

Leading scorer Coby White, who has missed the past three contests with a left calf injury, will also be active for Friday’s game, Johnson adds. White underwent an MRI on his calf earlier in the week and the results came back clean — he said Wednesday that he was hoping to be back tonight and was considered day-to-day. Like Collins, White will be on a minutes restriction — Donovan said the 25-year-old combo guard would be capped at around 24 minutes.
While Collins and White were upgraded to available after initially being listed as questionable, the opposite was true of Chicago native Ayo Dosunmu, who was downgraded to out for Friday’s contest with a right thumb sprain. The 2021 second-round pick is off to a strong start this season, averaging 15.8 points, 3.1 assists and 2.6 rebounds on .529/.494/.852 shooting through 19 games (27.8 minutes per contest). Dosunmu is one of six injured Bulls who won’t play tonight.
The Bulls were one of the NBA’s pleasant surprises during the first couple weeks of the season, starting out 5-0. However, they’ve been spiraling down the standings ever since, going 4-12 over their past 16 games, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. While injuries have played a part in the tailspin, Chicago also hasn’t taken advantage of seemingly winnable games — the team has lost to New Orleans (3-20), Charlotte (6-16), Indiana (4-18) and Brooklyn (5-17) during the ongoing skid, with Wednesday’s loss to the Nets marking a new low point. “Listen, I’m not going to make any excuses, because I always think players want opportunities to play and compete,” Donovan said, per Lorenzi. “And you know what? For some guys, this may be the best opportunity they got. To me, you should be playing all-out crazy hard and really, really physical and say, ‘Listen, if this ends because we get healthy, at least I made an effort.’ I did not think we did that. I don’t.”
Matas Buzelis‘ hasn’t made a second-year leap to this point in the season, but he remains confident that his game will eventually blossom, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. A diligent worker, the 21-year-old forward has struggled at times with taking the necessary time to unwind, since he’s highly motivated to keep improving, Poe notes. “Waiting is the right word to use,” Buzelis said. “It’s all just part of the process. No one can predict it. There’s always going to be ups and downs. You’re not always going to shine in the limelight. But you continue to work, you continue to get better. That’s what I’m doing.”

Central Notes: Holland, Sasser, Cavs, Bulls, Thompson

December 2nd, 2025 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

After starting each of the Pistons‘ first 20 games of the Season, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson sat out on Monday vs. Atlanta due to a right ankle sprain. As Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press relays (via Twitter), head coach J.B. Bickerstaff expressed confidence before the game that “other guys (would) step up” in Robinson’s absence, and reserve forward Ron Holland made good on his coach’s prediction.

Holland had 17 points, six rebounds, and a pair of steals in just over 17 minutes of action, playing a key role as the Pistons eked out a 99-98 victory over the Hawks.

“He was unbelievable,” Bickerstaff said, per Sankofa. “He was the spark for us. We struggled tonight. We did, we struggled tonight. I thought Ron gave us a ton of energy, a fire, the way he just competed. I thought he was phenomenal tonight.”

As Sankofa writes, Holland is among the players whose energy helps fuel a Pistons team that ranks among the league leaders in several hustle categories, including points off turnovers, deflections, loose balls recovered, and shots contested.

“Coming off the bench for me, it allows me to slow the game down and being able to watch where I can really shine and being able to see what guys’ tendencies are, and to go in and make an immediate impact,” Holland said. “I definitely love coming off the bench with this team because one, it’s gonna be nights like this where we start off kinda slow. That’s what the bench mob is for, we get in and bring that spark and the energy we need.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

After initially not responding to treatment like the team had hoped, Pistons guard Marcus Sasser‘s right hip injury is trending in the right direction, per Bickerstaff (Twitter link via Sankofa). Sasser remained out on Monday, but the reason cited was “return to competition conditioning” and he has been playing 3-on-3 scrimmages, so his season debut likely isn’t far off.
After losing three straight games, the Cavaliers bounced back on Monday with a resounding 135-119 victory over Indiana. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required), star guard Donovan Mitchell delivered a pointed message to his teammates after Sunday’s loss in the hopes of getting the Cavs back on the right track. “This ain’t last year. I told you at the beginning of the year, they coming for us — as they should,” Mitchell said of his message. “They’re coming for (Evan Mobley‘s) Defensive Player of the Year. They’re coming for my first team All-NBA. They coming for Kenny (Atkinson)‘s Coach of the Year. They coming for all that. We’re not the underdogs, we’re the hunted. We need to go out there and continue to act like it.”
Bulls guard Coby White will undergo imaging after missing Monday’s game due to some tightness in his left calf, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Big man Zach Collins, meanwhile, has been cleared for contact as he makes his way back from wrist surgery and the hope is that he’ll practice with Chicago’s G League team this week, Cowley notes. The banged-up Bulls lost another player in Monday’s loss to Orlando when wing Kevin Huerter exited after six minutes of action due to what the team referred to as an adductor injury. It’s unclear if Huerter will miss additional time as a result of that ailment.
Ethan Thompson‘s new two-way deal with the Pacers covers two years, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Thompson won’t become eligible for free agency until the 2027 offseason if he plays out the full contract.

Central Notes: Garland, Ball, White, Furphy, Siakam

December 1st, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers will be without a handful of players for Monday’s matchup against the Pacers. Darius Garland (toe injury management) and Lonzo Ball (illness) have been added to the list of players who won’t be available. Larry Nance Jr., Max Strus, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill had already been listed as out of action due to various ailments.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Coby White, who has already missed a chunk of the Bulls season due to a right calf strain, is listed as doubtful with left calf tightness and congestion for tonight’s game against the Magic, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network tweets. White has played five games, averaging 24.2 points and 6.2 assists per contest. Noa Essengue, Jalen Smith and Isaac Okoro are listed as out, with Zach Collins – who has yet to make his season debut – considered doubtful.
Pacers forward Johnny Furphy, who suffered a left ankle sprain in early November, was assigned to the G League’s Noblesville Boom over the weekend and then recalled, the team’s PR department tweets. The 2024 second round selection has appeared in three games this season after coming off the bench in 50 regular season games during his rookie campaign. He appears to be nearing a return after practicing with the Boom.
With Tyrese Haliburton out for the season, Pascal Siakam is now the No. 1 option for the Pacers. He’s put together back-to-back 24-point outings as the team doubled its win total with victories over the Wizards and Bulls this weekend. Indiana got off to a woeful 2-16 start after making the NBA Finals last season. “You can’t take it for granted,” Siakam told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “Every single night you go out there, and when you’re used to winning you take it for granted. I think every day we go out there, every single possession that we win, every single run that we have, every single win, we gotta take it and enjoy it and know — which is the most important — know what it took for us to get to that. We’re tired of losing. We can’t keep losing. That has to be our mindset. We have to give everything for that.”

Bulls Notes: Expiring Contracts, Defense, Queen, Essengue, Collins

November 26th, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

This season will go a long way toward shaping the future of the Bulls, who could have as many as eight free agents next summer, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, Coby White, Kevin Huerter, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter and Dalen Terry all have expiring contracts, while Chicago holds a $2.4MM team option on Julian Phillips for next season.

According to Cowley, coach Billy Donovan has been emphasizing to his players since training camp that they have a common goal in helping one another have the brightest possible NBA future.

‘‘We’ve got eight guys on expiring contracts,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘They’re all tied together. Their futures and careers are in each other’s hands. You get a player that’s young, that’s in their first or second year, they’re looking down the road and thinking, ‘Fifteen years is forever.’ Vooch is sitting there saying, ‘Hey, this went by like that.’ So I do think that there’s an urgency by Vooch, a mindset, a mentality.’’

Cowley suggests that urgency helps to explain Vucevic’s weekend comments after a one-point win over Washington when he said the team was “very soft” for most of the game. Cowley notes that Vucevic and his family like living in Chicago, and the front office could have interest in re-signing the 35-year-old center if the season goes well. He adds that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has displayed loyalty to Donovan and much of the roster, and several players could receive multiyear contracts if the Bulls are able to exceed expectations.

‘‘They have to understand the urgency because they all have something to do with each other’s success and they all have something to do with each other’s future,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I think the moment you get out of yourself and start thinking, ‘What can I do to help the man next to me? What can I do to help the man on the court?’ that’s when you find out the guys that are really committed.’’

There’s more from Chicago:

The Bulls’ defensive issues have become more apparent during their recent downturn, Cowley states in a separate story. A lack of size and physicality was glaring in games against Washington and New Orleans, and Donovan believes it can only be overcome with a team-wide approach. “For our team, maybe outside Isaac Okoro, we don’t have one guy right now where you can say, ‘This guy is a defensive stopper, this is what this guy hangs his hat on.’ We don’t have that,” he said. “So we have to do it collectively. It’s not one guy’s fault; it’s all of us. It’s the coaches, the players, we all have to do it. We just don’t have the type of guys that you’re going to put on a guy, and he’s going to shut them down.”
The Bulls had serious interest in Pelicans rookie big man Derik Queen with the 12th pick in this year’s draft, Cowley relays in another story. They opted for French forward Noa Essengue, who has spent most of the season in the G League, because they viewed him as a better fit for their up-tempo style. “When the draft actually came, there’s things that happen in that moment,” Donovan explained. “You’ve got five minutes to make that pick. I think (the front office) was looking at Noa as an opportunity long-term — ‘This guy fits the way we would like to play.’ I did not get from the front office or even the scouts that (Queen wasn’t) a fit. (But) I think they thought the way we were playing, Noa, maybe from an upside standpoint, another athletic wing, a long defender, (was) maybe something we needed defensively.”
Collins is expected to begin participating in full-court practices later this week as he moves closer to making his season debut, Cowley adds. The team is hoping to have Collins, who has been sidelined with an injured left hand, back on the court by early December.

Injury Notes: Warriors, Davis, Barrett, Sixers, Collins, Pacers

November 24th, 2025 at 5:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors will be without three important frontcourt players on Monday against Utah. In addition to center Al Horford, who will miss at least a week due to right sciatic nerve irritation, and forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has been unavailable since November 12 due to bilateral knee tendonitis, Draymond Green has been ruled out for Monday’s game due to a right foot sprain, per Anthony Slater of ESPN.

Green was listed as questionable before being downgraded to out, which may be a sign that his injury isn’t considered significant. Of course, Kuminga’s knee soreness also wasn’t intially viewed as a cause for much concern, but he’ll miss a sixth straight contest on Monday and his return isn’t necessarily imminent.

The Warriors had hoped he’d be able to practice on Sunday, but that didn’t happen, according to Slater, who adds that imaging on Kuminga’s knees came back clean, showing no structural damage.

“He said he’s not moving that well, so I can’t tell you what the outlook is,” head coach Steve Kerr said on Sunday. “He needs to feel better and be able to move better before we can put him out there.”

We have several more injury updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks big man Anthony Davis will miss a 14th consecutive game due to a left calf strain on Monday, but head coach Jason Kidd said the plan is for Davis to take part in practice on Wednesday, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Assuming Davis practices without a setback, his return shouldn’t be far off, Afseth notes.
The imaging results on RJ Barrett‘s sprained right knee “look promising,” according to Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca). Barrett is out for Monday’s game vs. Cleveland but seems to have avoided a serious injury and is being considered day-to-day.
Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness) will miss a second consecutive game on Tuesday vs. Orlando, but center Joel Embiid (right knee injury management) has been upgraded to questionable, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.
The Bulls are hopeful that Zach Collins (left wrist surgery) will be able to practice with contact this week, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link), who says Collins has a chance to return during the team’s post-Thanksgiving road trip that begins on Friday and runs through next Monday.
Pacers guards Johnny Furphy (left ankle sprain) and Quenton Jackson (right hamstring strain) could be back in action within the next couple weeks, head coach Rick Carlisle said today (Twitter links via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). Carlisle added that rookie Kam Jones has recovered from his back injury, but is still in the ramp-up process and could play for the Noblesville Boom in the G League before making his NBA debut.

Bulls Notes: Giddey, White, Collins, Carter

November 18th, 2025 at 11:28am CST by Dana Gauruder

Josh Giddey continues to put up big offensive numbers for the Bulls. The biggest knock against him during his pro career is that he’s soft defensively and often gets exploited at that end of the floor. Head coach Billy Donovan sees more focus from Giddey to overcome that stigma, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

“[He’s] probably similar to [Bulls guard] Coby [White] early in his career — similar to where they were really targeting him,” Donovan said. “As a player, you have to shut off that running water where [opposing coaches eventually] say, ‘OK, there’s no reason to try and exploit this because it’s not there.’ That comes down to the personal pride of one-on-one guarding.

“I think [Giddey has] tried to do that. The one thing about Josh is the flexibility when we play against teams that are a little bigger — he can play against some of these bigger forwards, too. He’s pretty physical there. I do think Josh has tried to get better. I’ve noticed and seen growth from him from last November to the time now. He’s taken much more pride in that area.”

Giddey had 21 points, 14 rebounds and six assists as the Bulls snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating the Nuggets in Denver on Monday. It was the Nuggets’ first home loss this season.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

White isn’t playing in back-to-backs yet and is on a minutes limit, but Donovan is hopeful the medical staff will lift those restrictions after Thankgiving, Cowley reports. White sat out against Denver after he played 30 minutes — six more than planned — in a double overtime loss to Utah on Sunday. He’ll also play just one game in this weekend’s back-to-back set against Miami and Washington. “The first half [Sunday], I was pretty tired. I was a little winded,” said White, who had been sidelined by a calf strain. “Second half, I started getting my wind. My legs felt a little heavy, so that’s why some of my shots were short. Missed a lot of chippies around the rim, so that comes with timing.”
Donovan is hopeful Zach Collins can return to practice next week when the team has three consecutive days off, per Cowley. Collins underwent wrist surgery last month. “Because he’s been in the splint, he’s lost a lot of mobility, flexibility and strength, so he’s got to get that back, so there will be a lot of things he’ll have to do in the weight room to get those back,” Donovan said. “I’m probably being a little eager and optimistic, but I’m hoping he can get into practice in one of those days where we can have a contact practice. . . . How long it will take to get his strength back to be able to go into a practice remains to be seen, but he can start doing things with his hand.”
With White and Tre Jones sitting out, Jevon Carter posted 15 points in 18 minutes against the Nuggets. “This guy’s work ethic is unbelievable. He’s one of the hardest working people I’ve ever seen,” Donovan said. Carter was grateful for the praise, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network relays (Twitter links). “That means a lot coming from a Hall of Fame coach. That’s my guy. I love Billy,” he said.

Injury Notes: Bulls, Shannon, Niang, Ivey, Kuminga, Thiero

November 14th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Injured Bulls guards Coby White (calf) and Josh Giddey (ankle) both practiced in full on Friday, with contact, and are expected to play at some point during the team’s upcoming stretch of five games in seven days that begins on Sunday in Utah, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links).

With two separate sets of back-to-back games on tap during that week, the Bulls are still figuring out which games White and Giddey will play and what sort of workload they’ll see, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter links). That’s especially true of White, who has yet to play this season and expects to be on a restriction of about 24 minutes per game when he returns.

White joked that he’s trying to get the Bulls’ medical staff to allow him to play in all five games next week, but acknowledged that’s not realistic and said he’s “pushing for three” (Twitter link via Johnson).

Meanwhile, big man Zach Collins, who has yet to play this season while recovering from left wrist surgery, is having his splint removed and will begin passing and shooting with that left hand, head coach Billy Donovan told reporters (Twitter link via Lorenzi). Donovan added the results from a CT scan were very positive and he doesn’t think it will take long for Collins to rebuild his strength in the injured hand.

Here are a few more injury updates from across the NBA:

Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. has been diagnosed with a left foot fifth metatarsal bone bruise and will be reevaluated in one week, according to a press release from the team. Shannon has already been sidelined for the past four games due to what the team was calling left foot soreness.
Jazz forward Georges Niang, who has yet to make his season debut, continues to progress through his rehab work as he makes his way back from a stress reaction of the fourth metatarsal in his left foot, the team announced today in a press release. According to the Jazz, Niang is ramping up toward a return to action and will be reevaluated in one week.
Pistons guard Jaden Ivey has begun doing on-court work as part of his rehab process following arthroscopic knee surgery, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Ivey underwent that procedure in mid-October and was ruled out at the time for at least four weeks.
The Warriors have ruled out Jonathan Kuminga for Friday’s contest vs. San Antonio due to bilateral knee tendinitis, but Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link) says there are no structural concerns with Kuminga’s knees and the forward’s absence should be “relatively short-term.”
Lakers rookie Adou Thiero has a chance to play in his first NBA regular season game on Friday, having been upgraded to probable, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic. Thiero underwent knee surgery in college and experienced swelling in that same knee this fall, postponing his debut.

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