Chicago Bulls' Coby White & Josh Giddey Talk Injuries, Where Things Stand

Ahead of the Chicago Bulls win over the Orlando Magic, Coby White and Josh Giddey discussed the severity of their injuries.

Both starting backcourt players were forced to leave the Bulls' loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a lower body injury. White exited in the first half with calf tightness, while Giddey subbed himself out with a hamstring strain early in the third quarter. Addressing the media on Friday, each player sounded optimistic about the rehab process that awaits. At the same time, neither sounded particularly confident about when they could return to the floor.

“It felt tight throughout the game. Then, after halftime. I came out and as soon as I went to take off of a screen at half court, I just felt it tight. I kind of felt like a cramp," Giddey explained (h/t CHGO Bulls). "Soft tissue stuff you don’t want to play with, so I put my hand up straight away and let them know I felt something and came out the game. I was going to come back. Tried to get it warm again, but probably the safer option to just sit out that night.”

Better safe than sorry sounds like the approach Chicago will continue to take with Giddey, who they will not re-evaluate for a little under two weeks. The good news is that the jumbo guard shared that he can continue to do most conditioning and strength work behind the scenes. While sprinting will have to wait, he can continue to shoot, jog, and hit the weight room as he waits for his strain to heel. There is no question this could help make the transition back to the floor easier once he is given the green light.

Coby White of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 26, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) shoots against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

As for White, the team plans to re-evaluate him a week before they examine Giddey, but there is surely an even greater concern around his injury. White missed the first 11 games of the season due to a mild calf strain suffered in August. This current issue stems from the same calf, which is why the Bulls are expected to take things extra slow with the soon-to-be free agent.

“That’s very frustrating because you think you passed something, and you think it pops up again. Even just dealing with the left one. I always try to keep a positive perspective, you can sit here and say why me? But then you look around the league and there are guys in worse situation than me … You always got to keep a positive perspective. You’re not the only one in the world going through what you’re going through," White said.

The 25-year-old also made clear that the recent MRI does not suggest that its a re-strain. He insisted that it still looks better than it did in the past and that this current pause is all about getting the tightness to "calm down." A handful of players around the league have attempted to play on calf injuries over the last year-plus, only to see a more devasting issue arise. White and the Bulls want to avoid that at all costs.

Of course, we also can not fail to consider the recent trade speculation around White. The guard has been one of the hottest names on the market this season, as there are fears the Bulls could see him walk for nothing in unrestricted free agency this summer. Avoiding further complications could be essential for keeping his trade market alive, as well as earning him the best payday come free agency. In other words, it's in everyone's best interest to act out of an abundance of caution this season with the guard's health.