With 15 Games Left, Chicago Bulls Update Timeline of Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons

After returning from a five-game Western Conference road trip, the Chicago Bulls have provided some long-awaited updates on Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey.

Ivey did not travel with the team over these past two weeks to continue rehabbing his leg at the Advocate Center. The guard has been sidelined since his DNP-CD on February 19. To be clear, his knee soreness was not known at the time and did not play a role in Chicago's decision to sit him out that game. It wasn't until afterward that he mentioned soreness in his knee, prompting the Bulls to take a closer look.

Head coach Billy Donovan also went on to share that he was not pleased with the way Ivey was moving physically. The team's goal has now been to strengthen Ivey's leg in the wake of his significant injury trouble over the last year. The former lottery pick broke his fibula last season before undergoing a minor knee surgery this past offseason. While he was able to return and play 33 consecutive games with the Pistons before the trade deadline, Ivey seemingly wasn't 100 percent.

Jaden Ivey of the Chicago Bulls — Feb 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) defends Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey (31) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Bulls' initial timeline ruled out Ivey for at least two weeks. Of course, he has now been out for well over a month and will remain out for at least one more week, per Bulls PR. The good news is that the team said he has made progress during this time, and the updated timeline suggests there is an expectation he can return for some meaningful minutes before the end of the regular season.

Giving Ivey some extended run is undoubtedly in the team's best interest. He is headed toward restricted free agency in a few short months. The front office would presumably love to see how he fits next to Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis before deciding whether to keep him around.

With that said, even if he can return to full speed, is it guaranteed that Billy Donovan will play him? The head coach has been hesitant to go with the youngsters when the roster is fully healthy. Perhaps the reality of officially being out of the postseason picture, however, will change his mind.

As for Simons, the Bulls announced that he will be re-evaluated in ten days. The former Celtics guard has been out since February 21. He has been playing through a slight fracture in his wrist that he originally sustained during the preseason with Boston. The pain flared up against the Pistons, but the Bulls shared that he has trended in the right direction in recent weeks.

Sitting out for ten more days would have Simons potentially returning for the team's meeting with the Thunder on March 27. He would miss five more games, bringing his total number of missed contests since arriving in Chicago to 15. The Bulls would also have only nine more games left on the 2025-26 schedule.

Speaking of which, one has to wonder if Chicago could still look to shut down either Ivey or Simons with under a month left to go of the regular season. Let's not fail to consider that the team is still using the term "re-evaluated" for each. In other words, there is no guarantee they will be ready to return to the court after these newly appointed timelines. With so little to play for moving forward, why not just preserve their health and eliminate the risk of further injury?

Even if it is beneficial for the Bulls to see Ivey on the floor, it's even more important that both sides do everything they can to ensure he has a normal offseason. At the end of the day, that is what could help him get his career back on track the most.

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