Chicago Bulls Injury Update: Return of 3 Key Players Signals Another Big Shake-Up

As Josh Giddey stepped in front of the many microphones on Wednesday afternoon, he had a big smile on his face.

The Chicago Bulls' guard has been sidelined since re-aggravating his hamstring injury on January 28. He clocked 28 minutes in the team's loss to the Miami Heat, posting 10 points with 7 assists and 4 rebounds. It was only a handful of games prior that he made his return from a nearly month-long absence. Over his four games before hitting the injury report again, he came off the bench three times and never cracked the 30-minute threshold.

Nevertheless, Giddey is now set to return after missing the last eight games and watching his front office completely re-invent the roster. The Bulls have moved on from seven players over the last couple of weeks, only continuing their downward spiral with 10 losses in their last 11 games.

Giddey will now be tasked with trying to stabilize things. The jumbo guard has yet to play alongside the team's newbies, but he should finally get his chance on Thursday night at the United Center. After gearing up with some 3-on-3 action in recent weeks, Giddey was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and came away feeling strong. The injury report currently lists him as questionable, but the guard said he expects to play.

There is no ignoring it. Josh Giddey talked the massive roster changes after practicing with new group …

“As I keep saying, it’s different. I’ve never had a change like this mid-season. It’s going to take time to adapt … all guys are bought in. Great guys. Great people.” pic.twitter.com/K4tOvJBG5q
— Elias Schuster (@Schuster_Elias) February 18, 2026

To be sure, it remains unclear what his workload will look like over the next handful of games, especially with a back-to-back on the horizon. But there is no question that having him available should be a big help to a Bulls team trying to integrate several new contributors into the mix. Few guards in the NBA are better at setting the table for their teammates.

Signs also seem to point toward both Tre Jones and Jalen Smith rejoining the rotation. The team's second-best table-setter, Jones has also been sidelined with a lingering hamstring strain. He hasn't played since the team's January 22 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Smith is the only one of the three recently injured Bulls who has played alongside some of the team's newest additions. He suited up against the Raptors on the night of the deadline before sitting out the previous three games with a calf injury.

Jones is listed as questionable against the Raptors, while Smith was upgraded to probable. Nevertheless, both could be seen putting in work on the court following Wednesday's practice and appear in line to play. Jones, however, will likely have a minutes restriction like Giddey.

All eyes will now turn to how the coaching staff chooses to handle the jam-packed rotation. Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, Jaden Ivey, and Rob Dillingham each warrant playing time. While it was easy to squeeze them in before, the availability of Giddey and Jones undoubtedly complicates things. The frontcourt lineup will also be interesting to watch, as both Guerschon Yabusele and Nick Richards were added at the deadline and have played well since their arrival.

The Bulls will also see this rotational challenge first land on the shoulders of assistant Wes Unseld Jr. Billy Donovan remains away from the team following the passing of his father, leaving Unseld Jr. in line to step in as head coach on Thursday night.