Chicago Bulls Have Ridiculously Long Injury Report Before Meeting with Magic

As the Chicago Bulls head into the backend of a back-to-back set on Friday night, their injury list has only grown.

Already absurdly long with multiple players ruled out for the year, their current postseason elimination hasn't given them much reason to rush anyone back. Anfernee Simons might as well be the prime example. While the team never officially shut him down, the guard had been playing through a fracture in his wrist all season that flared up in late February. He started to do some light work, but the former Celtics sixth man has yet to make any real progress toward a return.

More recently, we have seen the Bulls show little urgency to welcome back Josh Giddey. The guard has dealt with a hamstring strain for months, and he's sat out four of the team's past five games. With only two games left to go, Donovan suggested that Giddey was likely to be done for the year ahead of Thursday night's game. He's already been ruled out against the Magic, leaving Sunday in Dallas as the only game left on the calendar.

Considering how important Giddey appears to be for the organization's future, this undoubtedly feels like the right approach. And the same could be said about potentially sitting Matas Buzelis for the rest of the game. The forward has now missed back-to-back contests with an illness and remained in Chicago for the latest D.C. road trip.

Nevertheless, an uber-competitive second-year player, he doesn't seem prepared to throw in the towel just yet. The Bulls have upgraded him to questionable for Friday's final home game at the United Center. If he does play, we may have to be prepared for him to suit up on Sunday evening, as well.

While two more games of experience sure don't feel like a bad thing for such a young player, the Bulls also have to be conscious of their lottery positioning. By picking up two straight blowout wins over the Wizards, the Bulls have found themselves tied with the Bucks for the ninth-highest lottery odds. Another victory could be enough to lose them the higher chance at a Top 4 pick. And there is no denying that Matas Buzelis makes them a more competitive team.

The newest addition to the injury report is Guerschon Yabusele, who has been ruled out. The big man was forced to leave last night's outing in D.C. with a shoulder sprain. Considering Nick Richards is also stuck in street clothes and Jalen Smith is out for the year, this leaves Lachlan Olbrich as the only true big man available. When we consider Orlando sits Top 13 in points in the paint per game and at the very top of the NBA in free throw attempts a night, this could prove to be a major problem!

Chicago Bulls Injury Report

Patrick Williams – PROBABLE (thumb)
Collin Sexton – PROBABLE (finger)
Lachlan Olbrich – PROBABLE (foot)
Matas Buzelis – QUESTIONABLE (illness)
Isaac Okoro – DOUBTFUL (quad)
Anfernee Simons – OUT (wrist)
Guerschon Yabusele – OUT (shoulder)
Jalen Smith – OUT (calf)
Zac hCollins – OUT( foot)
Noa Essengue – OUT (shoulder)

Orlando Magic Injury Report

Jett Howard – OUT (ankle)
Jonathan Isaac – OUT (knee)

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