Chicago Bulls Center Zach Collins Receives Unfortunate Injury News

The Chicago Bulls backup big man suffered a setback before the regular season.

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reacts with forward Zach Collins (12) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

With just days left until the NBA regular season tips off, the Chicago Bulls have suffered the loss of a key big man, thinning out the Chicago bench even more.

Power forward/ center Zach Collins suffered a wrist injury in Thursday's preseason finale between the Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves, and on Thursday, Collins underwent a successful surgery to repair a left wrist fracture, per a report by Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype.

Collins will be out at least four weeks, per the report, and could be back with the Bulls on Nov. 16 at the earliest. The loss of Collins robs the Bulls of crucial depth, as he was planned to come off the bench in relief of center Nikola Vucevic as the Bulls' second option at the five.

Chicago Bulls center Zach Collins underwent successful surgery yesterday to repair a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/BTh2k1yhgx

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 18, 2025

Who Steps Up in Collins' Absence?

That responsibility will now likely fall to Jalen Smith behind Vucevic, though Noa Essengue could also be called on if the Bulls opted for a more forward-heavy rotation rather than another center.

The absence of Collins could also be an opportunity for 2025 second-round pick Lachlan Olbrich, whom the Bulls picked up after he was initially drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Chicago Bulls forward Zach Collins (12) dunks against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Rocket Arena. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Collins had a bounce-back year in 2024-25 and is projected for another one this season. Last season, Collins averaged 8.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 19.7 minutes per game.

The Bulls' Injuries Rack Up

With his extended absence and the day-to-day statuses of Ayo Dosunmo, Patrick Williams, and Isaac Okoro, the Bulls have suddenly found themselves wearing thin at the forward position. The remaining big men on the roster will have an extended workload if Chicago's injury trouble remains.

Chicago Bulls center Zach Collins (12) controls the ball against the Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) during the second half at the United Center. | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The upside is that many of their injured forwards, except for Collins, are expected to be back by Opening Night or soon after. While Collins' month-plus absence will hurt the Bulls, they'll still be in a position to have their other big men pick up the slack.

The best-case scenario for the Bulls is to have Collins come back healthy as soon as possible and alleviate the Bulls' growing injury trouble. While the Bulls' depth may be enough to keep them afloat for the time being with Collins out, it would be better for both Chicago and the legs of their starting center Vuvecik to have as much support as possible.

For now, the Bulls will have to be patient as Collins has to wait out his recovery.